Twilight: Stitch By Stitch
by jarjarlee
Summary: What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions? JacobOC
1. Changes

**Disclaimer: I _do not_ own anything except for my OC and a few plots. If anything seems familiar to you, then it probably belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Title:** _Stitch By Stitch_

**Rating: T**

**Summary: **_What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions? _

* * *

_Blue and black, heart torn out,  
You uncover what's beneath my skin,  
There and back, there's no doubt,  
Your touch is my medicine_

**Stitch By Stitch - Javiar Colon**

* * *

I had never given thought to how 'change' would affect my life – though I had reasoned myself enough in the last few months – but even if I had, I would not have imagined for it to be as big and drastic like this. I sighed inwardly and tore my eyes from the window and looked to my right where my sister – fraternal twin sister – Isabella, Bella as she insisted people called her ever since she learned how to talk, was sitting, a thoughtful look on her face.

Bella and I… we were different. Introverted, uncoordinated and awkward were commonly used to describe Bella. I was the opposite of her – congenial, complaisant and clumsy. Both of us had a rather fair complexion but that was as far alike as it goes. Bella was much similar to Charlie, our dad, in terms of looks: brown tresses that framed her face and chocolate eyes. I was similar to our mom: my hair was a shade lighter than Bella's – Bella's was chocolate copper, mine was ginger brown – and hazel eyes. Despite all that, I love Bella, unconditionally.

I sighed once more and looked away from her, trying not to think about the thoughts that were racing around my mind as we drove to the airport, with the windows rolled down. It was seventy-five degrees in Phoenix, the sky a perfect, cloudless blue, reminding me of how 'numb' I felt. I was wearing my favourite top – sleeveless, tie-dyed top; I was wearing it as a reminder of what I was leaving.

Forks… I remembered vaguely the months I spent there every summer until I was fourteen – the small town was rather gloomy and it rained a lot on the town more than any other place in the United States of America. It was to Forks that I now, along with Bella, ship ourselves to – an action that I took with great optimism. Though I did not necessarily love Forks, I do not detest it as much as I know Bella would. She loved Phoenix, the sun and the blistering heat. I hated the heat and the vigorous, sprawling city.

"Marie," my mom said to me – the last of a thousand times – before the both of us got on the plane. "You do not have to do this."

I felt a spasm of panic as I stared at her wide, childlike eyes. How could I leave my harebrained mother to fend for herself? Not that I do not have any faith in Phil, but…

"I _want_ to go," Bella spoke up, bringing me back to the situation we were in. I hurriedly nodded my head, giving her a, what I hoped was, convincing smile. She looked at the both of us before wrapping her arms around me. I hugged her back for a few minutes, basking in the warmth of her hug before pulling back. I smiled and ushered her to Bella.

"Tell Charlie I said hi." I heard her tell Bella, who replied with a small 'I will'. "I will see the both of you soon." She insisted. "You can come home whenever you want – I will come right back as soon as you need me." My chest pinged with guilt as I saw the sacrifice in her eyes behind the promise.

"Do not worry about us," I urged, at the same time, Bella said, "It will be great. We love you, Mom." She hugged the both of us tightly one more time and then I got on the plane and she was gone.

It was a four-hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles and then an hour drive back down to Forks. Flying did not bother me – it never bothered Bella as well: the time spent sitting down, though, bothered me a lot. The hour in the car with Charlie made me restless.

Charlie had really been fairly nice about the whole thing. He seemed genuinely pleased that the both of us were coming to live with him for the first time without him having to ask for us. He had already gotten the both of us registered for high school and was going to help both of us get a car. I snickered quietly to myself when I caught the bored yet slightly uncomfortable look on Bella's face. I could only imagine what she was feeling right now: awkward and worried, though I could see why she would think so.

I must have dozed off for a while for when I woke up; we made it to Charlie's. As I stretched my arms above my head, I eyed my surrounding. He still lived in the small, three-bedroom house that he had bought with my mother in the early days of their marriage. There, parked on the street in the front of the house that never changed, was our 'new' truck – _the thing_, Charlie had dubbed earlier on. It would be slightly better if the thing had been repainted but nonetheless, the faded red colour made it all the more unique to my eyes.

"Wow, Dad, I love it! Thanks!" Bella exclaimed as she stared at the car in mixed appreciation.

"I am glad you like it," Charlie said gruffly, embarrassed by her sudden outburst. I chuckled to myself and hurriedly stepped out of the car, taking a whiff of the fresh air. The wind blew, making me shiver slightly but it was definitely better than Phoenix – Forks would definitely grow on me. Charlie walked over to the bonnet of the car and started to take out our luggage. I grabbed my wavy tresses and with one swift twist, my hair was up in a messy bun. I walked to where Bella and Charlie were standing and grabbed my two luggage and my bag pack.

"Err… I hope you like blue," Charlie said, breaking the silence after standing in the room for a minute. I looked around, taking in the sight of the room before looking back at him, smiling in appreciation. "I left everything as it was before – the bed sheets and everything were chosen by Sue Clearwater." He added when I dropped my bag pack on the bed.

"Thank you, Dad. I really appreciate this; I love blue and the duvet," I held said item in my hand, "feels heavenly!" I grinned at him and giggled inwardly when I heard him sigh in relief. "Thank Sue Clearwater for me." Charlie nodded his head and excused himself, muttering something about wanting to see how Bella was fitting in her room. I closed the door after he left and decided to start unpacking.

[ ]

I walked out of the house, only to find Bella in the thing with a boy beside her and Charlie talking with a man in a wheelchair. Closing the door behind me, I walked over to where Charlie was standing, a small frown evident on my face. "How come you did not tell me we had visitors?" I murmured loud enough for Charlie to hear. He spun around, somewhat surprised by my sudden appearance. "Amaryllis – Marie, for short." I introduced myself to the man who grinned when he saw me.

"Little Amaryllis – my, my, you definitely have grown up. The last time I saw you, you were about this," He lifted his hand up to where the bar on his wheelchair rested, "tall. Billy Black," He smiled. "My son, Jacob, is in the truck with your sister." I looked over to where Bella was talking with said man and nodded my head.

"The three of you used to play together." Charlie stated and I nodded my head slowly, recalling those moments at the beach. I smiled at the both of them and walked towards the truck. Bella was still inside the truck when Jacob appeared beside me. I jumped slightly, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Jacob Black," He held his hand out and I smiled at him, shaking his hand. "Marie, right?" I nodded my head. "Not sure if you remember but we used to play together," He explained and I giggled to myself. He looked at me in confusion. "You do not remember, huh?"

I shrugged my shoulders before looking at my hand. "I do, vaguely but I would like to have my hand back, any time." I told him and his eyes traveled to my hand and as if he just realized he was still holding my hand, he immediately dropped it and for a nano-second, I missed the warmth his hand seemed to have. He murmured his apology and I shook my head. "So from what I have gathered, my dad bought the truck from Billy?" I asked and Jacob nodded his head.

"I rebuilt the engine and all; just to tell you, you would need to double pump the clutch when you shift, but other than that, you should be good." Jacob explained and I nodded my head.

"Cool," I stated, reminding myself to remember what he had said. "So, do you go to school around here?" I asked, turning my head to meet Jacob's piercing gaze. He seemed to hesitate before answering.

"Oh, I go to school on the reservation." Jacob said after a minute. I frowned and nodded my head slightly. There flew the chance of me knowing someone other than Bella in the school. I sighed and gave him a small smile.

"It would have been nice to know at least one more person other than your sister," I said to no one in particular but I could feel Jacob chuckling. I feel a tug at the corner of my lips and chuckled along. Forks was definitely starting to warm up to me.

* * *

**Author's note:  
I know this might have been attempted for too many times but I decided to try my hand at it. Hopefully, I will get some people to read this story of mine. Reviews are greatly appreciated! There are a few things that I feel like pointing out: I took the materials from both the book and the movie, so there might be differences in certain portrayal of the scenes or events. I will try my best to keep everyone in character as much as I possibly could.**


	2. Like Sponges

**Disclaimer: I own everything but what Stephenie Meyer owns - that includes some of the plots, characters etc.**

**Title: **_Stitch By Stitch_

**Rating: T**

**Summary: ****What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions?**

* * *

**Life goes on as it never ends  
- Backstreet Boys  
**

* * *

I frowned when I heard my phone's alarm going off somewhere beside me. Slipping my hand under the pillows, I searched for my phone. I desperately wanted to go back to sleep but I could not because today was my first day of high school. Stopping the alarm, I slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep away from my eyes. I pushed my duvet away and stepped down from the bed, shivering slightly when my feet touched the cold floor. Picking up my towel and clothes to wear, I walked out of my room and into the toilet.

I had a decent sleep last night though I am very certain Bella did not. Halfway through the night, I was woken up by the sound of Bella crying in her room. I laid on my bed, listening to her cry. I knew she detested Forks and I knew she missed Phoenix and our eccentric mom. I shook off my thoughts and dried my hair with the towel I was holding. I carefully walked in to Bella's room, seeing her sprawled awkwardly on her bed. I chuckled to myself and shook my head.

"Bella," I whispered as I stepped closer to her. She did not even flinch. I stopped drying my hair and shook her shoulder slightly, "Bella, wake up. We have school today," I continued, still shaking her shoulder slightly. After a minute, Bella groaned in frustration and opened her eyes, slightly glaring at me. I stopped shaking her shoulder and waited until she sat up to sit down on the edge of her bed, drying my hair.

"Thanks for waking me up, Marie," Bella murmured loud enough for me to hear. I nodded my head and stared at her. "I know you probably heard me last night… you always do. But I will be fine," She stated the last sentence more towards herself and I slowly nodded my head. I stood up and motioned for her to go to the toilet as I skipped back to my room to finish getting ready for school.

[ ]

Bella ended up driving the truck that morning. Finding the school was not that difficult, though we have never been there before. The school was rather… unique; it looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs – so much so, I could not see its size at first. There were no chain-link fences nor could I see any metal detectors and that slightly made me relieved, I mused nostalgically to myself.

Bella parked the truck in the parking lot and I inwardly sighed when I saw the lot of people that turned to look at the both of us and our beat-up truck. I looked over to Bella and gave her a small smile – she hated being the center of attention. Bella looked down as she stepped out of the car, avoiding everyone's gaze. Feeling slightly like an animal being watched by its predator, I hurriedly stepped out of the car as well and waited for Bella.

"Nice ride," A boy, sitting on a hood of a car in front of the truck, commented. I frowned slightly, not liking the tone he had used. He shot me a smile as he continued to look at Bella. Bella looked up from the ground and awkwardly murmured her thanks before linking her arm with mine.

[ ]

The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls and a big clock ticking loudly. I continued to look around, musing to myself how different it was here from our old school in Phoenix. I was brought out from my train of thoughts when I heard Bella introducing herself to the red-haired woman. I cleared my throat, "Amaryllis Swan." And I saw the immediate awareness light in her eyes. Shifting my gaze from her to Bella, I knew she saw the same thing as I did. We were expected, a topic of gossip, no doubt. Daughters of the Chief's flighty, harebrained ex-wife, come home at last.

"Of course," She said. She dug through a stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for. "I have your schedule right here and a map of the school." She brought several sheets to the counter. I frowned slightly as she went through the classes for both Bella and I, highlighting the best route to each on the map and gave us a slip to have each of our teachers' sign, which we were to bring back at the end of the day. "Hope you would like it here in Forks," I smiled back as convincingly as I could.

"Do you think we would fit in here?" Bella asked me as we walked around the cafeteria, towards building three. I looked at her and shrugged my shoulders, shaking my head. She sighed as she slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "You would not have a problem, I bet. You adapt everywhere, easily." She stated and I chuckled to myself, not denying her statement.

Realizing how nervous she felt, I grasped her hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. "Come on, Bells. Even if we do not fit in, we still have each other." I reassured her and she gave me a small smile, nodding her head slightly. "But I am pretty sure we will fit in – this place is filled with different sorts of people." I added when I realized that Bella's breathing was gradually creeping towards hyperventilation as we approached the door. I smiled at her and walked inside the classroom.

[ ]

When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, Bella and I were approached by a guy who looked like the overly helpful, chess club type. "Isabella Swan and Amaryllis Swan?"

"Marie," I corrected at the same time as Bella said, "Bella." Everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at the both of us. I was starting to get annoyed with all the looks we were receiving.

He nodded his head. "The new girls," As much as I hated being labeled as the 'new girls', the way he said it made me smile slightly. "I am Eric; the eyes and ears of this place. Uh, anything you need, tour guide, lunch date, shoulders to cry on…" He trailed off looking at Bella and I, a grin permanently plastered to his face. I let out a small chuckle when I noticed how uncomfortable Bella looked.

"I am really kind of the more suffer-in-silence type," Bella said as she looked at Eric. I could not help but laugh quietly when I saw his grin disappearing slightly. Leave it to Bella to subconsciously reject the first person that has been nice to us. Eric looked at me and I merely shook my head and smiled.

Eric nodded his head understandingly, "Good headline for the feature. I'm on the paper and the both of you are news, baby, and front page." I chuckled at his determinism.

"No, I'm not." Bella's eyes went wide. "Please, don't have any sort of…"

"Please, Eric, we would appreciate it if you would just feature something else," I cut Bella off as I stared at him, straight in the eyes. I definitely do not need any more reasons for people to stare at Bella and I as if we were some sort of escaped refugees. Bella squeezed my arm. "So, it would really be wonderful…" I trailed off, hoping he would get the hint.

Eric shook his head, "Chillax – no feature," He looked at the both of us. I gave him a smile as Bella thanked him. "So, this is a lot different than Phoenix, huh?" He asked. That was the first of the many questions Eric had asked.

[ ]

I was happy when I found out that we were going to play volleyball. I was not good in sports, the only thing I was good in was running but I would hardly consider that as a sport, more of a hobby. Volleyball was another sport that I played when I wanted to release my anger or tension and being stared and whispered at for nearly the whole morning caused me to have some pent-up tension.

"How are you holding up, Bells?" I asked her as I moved closer to where she was standing, watching one of the blonde girls smacking the ball to the other side. She frowned for a while before shrugging her shoulders.

"Not really liking this; I am a magnet for accidents," Bella admitted and I nodded my head, agreeing with her words. Bella gasped when the ball came her way. She instantly slapped the ball from smacking her face and both of us watched, eyes wide, as it smacked the back of a blonde dude's head. "Oh God," She murmured under her breath.

"Would be best if you start by apologizing, Bells. He does not look like he can cause any actual damage," I told her as I ushered her to go to the dude. I gave him a small smile and pushed Bella slightly. She glared at me and sighed before walking towards the dude.

[ ]

Gradually, the day went surprisingly well except for the constant staring and whispering. I had most of my classes with Bella, except for English and Biology. Some people introduced themselves to me but I was sure I would forget their names the moment they stepped away from me and the only ones that made enough impression on me were Angela, Jessica, Eric and Mike. Other than that, they were just nameless faces.

I was ecstatic when it was lunchtime. That was probably my favourite 'subject' amongst all the subjects I have been attending ever since I set foot in the school. I picked up an apple and watched as Bella picked her food. "I am famished but nothing I am craving for is served here," I told her with a slight pout. Bella laughed quietly, knowing how picky I was with food. We found seats on the same table when Mike called Bella's name out. She looked at me and looked at the seat. I nodded my head and followed her to the table. "Thank you," I smiled when Mike pulled out a chair for me, after pulling Bella's chair out. I quickly made myself comfortable and began munching on my apple.

"Is it always like this?" I asked to no one in particular when the same boy from earlier this morning came to our table and kissed Bella's cheek and Mike ran after him.

"Oh my god," Jessica looked amused and jealous. "It's like the first grade, all over again." She stated and I raised one of my eyebrows in confusion. "The both of you are the shiny new toys." She said with a small laugh. I nodded my head in agreement; from the moment we have stepped into the school, all we had received were stares and whispers, it was really starting to get unnerving and I hope it would disappear soon.

"Smile!" Before I could even comprehend what had happened, a bright flash blinded Bella and I. I blinked a couple of times as I stared at the camera in Angela's hands. "Sorry; I needed a candid for the feature." She said and before I could even say anything, Eric opened his mouth.

"The feature's dead, Angela. Do not bring it up again," He snapped and Angela widened her eyes. Bella frowned before opening her mouth to defend Angela. Eric apologized before leaving the table, making me all the more confused with what has happened.

Bella looked up from her food, "You could always go for… eating disorders or Speedo padding on the swim team." She suggested and I smiled at her. She actually spoke up without having someone speak to her. Angela grinned at Bella, nodding her head.

"Actually, those are really good ones." She muttered in appreciation. Jess smiled, turning to look at Angela. I shook my head and continued to munch on my apple, listening to the mindless conversation that was going on. I was brought out of my reverie when I heard Bella speaking. I looked away from my nearly finished apple and followed her gaze, admiring the group of people that were walking into the cafeteria. Jessica turned to where we were looking and turned back to look at us.

"The Cullens," She stated. "Doctor and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids; they all moved down here from Alaska like two years ago." Jessica explained. I was about to question how she knew this before reminding myself that Forks was not that big and news would definitely travel fast in this town.

Angela looked at them for a second before looking at us. "They kind of keep to themselves," She added. I continued to observe them; they did not look anything alike (and then I remembered that they were all foster kids and had absolutely no similarity) – the first girl to walk in; she had a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of the _Sports Illustrated_ swimsuit issue or even _Cover Girl_, the kind that made every girl around her go on a diet and never eat anymore just by being in the same room. She was accompanied by a boy – he was big, muscled like a serious weight lifter, with dark, curly hair. I tore my gaze from them in time to hear what their names were: Emmett and Rosalie.

I continued to listen to the conversation as I stared at the other couple: the short girl, Alice, was pixie like, thin in the extreme, with small features. Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction. One word summed up everything about her: adorable. The boy with her, Jasper, was taller, leaner but muscular and honey blond. They looked like a good couple. I smiled to myself when I saw her lead him to their table. The last to walk in was lanky, less bulky, with untidy bronze-coloured hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college or even staffs of the school rather than students.

And yet, they were all exactly alike. I pondered when I remembered that they mostly kept to themselves. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this sunless town. I thought Bella and I were the palest, since we were albino. They all had very dark eyes despite the range in hair tones. All their features were straight, perfect and angular. I frowned slightly when Alice looked at me, flashing me a small smile.

I looked away from her and was about to talk to Bella when I realized she was gazing at their table intently. Upon closer inspection, I saw that she was actually staring at the lanky guy – Edward? – And I smiled to myself. It was a rarity for me to see Bella taking interest in a guy. She hardly had the time to date back in Phoenix and it was nice to see that she was actually eyeing someone, even though it was purely out of curiosity.

[ ]

I ended up dropping Bella at the diner where we had agreed to meet up with Charlie. With an excuse of being somewhat tired and not wanting to be around more people, I told Charlie I was going to go to The Thriftway to get food, seeing as Charlie had practically nothing in the house. After promising that I would at least get something to eat, I was on my way to The Thriftway. It was not far from the school, that I remembered, just a few streets south, off the highway. It was nice to be in a supermarket; it felt normal without the constant stare from people. When I got home, I unloaded all the groceries, stuffing them in wherever I could find an open space. I hoped Charlie would not mind. I wrapped potatoes in foil and stuck them in the oven to bake, covered a steak in marinade and balanced it on top of a carton of eggs in the fridge.

When I was finished with eating, I took my bag upstairs, into my room. I changed into a pair of shorts and pulled my damp hair into a messy bun and walked to Bella's room. "Hi, Bells." I murmured as I sat on the floor, beside her bed. She looked up from her laptop. "Did mom email you?"

"She did," Bella answered after a few clicks. "Sent me three messages – have you checked yours? She is panicking... Phil says hi," Bella said after a few minutes. I decided to start on the homework Mr. Mason assigned earlier. "She used our full names by the third email. I'm just going to reply her now before she does anything rash." Even without looking at Bella, I knew she was shaking her head. Our mom was like that; she worried too much and when she said she was going to do something, she would go ahead and do it. "Would you like to say anything to her?" Bella asked and I looked up from the homework I was doing and nodded my head.

"Just tell her I said hi and I miss the both of them," I told her. "And tell her to call us soon," I added after pondering a few seconds. Bella nodded her head, typing what I was saying before closing her laptop. "So, how was school for you?"

* * *

**Author's note:  
I would like to thank my very first two reviewers for dropping their piece of minds! I'm glad you enjoyed it - definitely made me happy to read it. Hopefully, I'd be able to get more reviews in the future. I know for now it's somewhat slow and not going anywhere but bare in mind, this is seen/shown through Marie's eyes. But don't worry, there will be a time where I will do a whole chapter on another character or some sort. Thank you to those who put the story on _Alert_/_Favourite_. **_Don't forget to leave your reviews! I would definitely want to know your thoughts regarding the story. Hope you enjoyed reading it!_


	3. All your time spent

**Disclaimer: Last time I checked I owned nothing except for some plots and my OC but other than that, the rest still belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Title: Stitch by Stitch**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions?**

* * *

_I want, I want, I want to be loved by you_  
- One Direction

* * *

The rest of the week was uneventful. I got used to the routine of my classes and by Friday, I was able to recognize almost all the students at school. In gym, the kids on my team learned not to pass the ball to Bella and to step quickly in front of her if the other team tried to take advantage of her weakness. I happily made sure the other kids stayed out of our way. As the days passed, Bella became more and more anxious when the Cullens entered the cafeteria without Edward. I didn't need her to tell me but I knew Bella was more than curious about Edward – it was enough by the looks she would have whenever she looks at their tables during lunch and by the way she would try to talk cryptically about Edward during our late night sisterly chats.

I walked outside of the house with Bella, bundled up in clothes for the first time in many years: black long-sleeved t-shirt, jeans, white sweater over my t-shirt and a large black hoodie that might have been one of Phil's. I blew my fringe away from my eyes as I braided my hair. As we were walking down the path, Bella slipped on some ice, grabbing onto me as she fell down, bringing me down as well. My first reaction was to chuckle – Bella would not be Bella if she did not slip or fall. Charlie rushed over to our aid.

"Are you girls okay?" He asked as he helped both of us stand up. I patted my slightly sore bum and nodded my head.

"Ice doesn't really help the uncoordinated," Bella said as she pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder, walking towards the car. I walked behind her, making sure she would not fall and Charlie followed the both of us.

"Yeah, that's why I had some new tires put on the truck. The old ones were getting pretty bald," He kicked the new tire with his boot. I saw Bella looking at him appreciatively and I thanked him. He grinned slightly as he shoved his hands in his pocket.

"Well, I will probably be late for dinner," Charlie stated as he looked at the ground – was he embarrassed? – "Got to head down to Mason County." Charlie started walking to his cruiser. "Some security guard was killed by some kind of animal."

Bella and I looked at each, incredulously. "An animal?" Bella asked. I frowned, somewhat perplexed by the situation. Charlie stopped walking and looked at us, nodding his head.

"Girls, you are not in Phoenix anymore," He reminded. "Anyway, I figured I could lend a hand." He stated as he opened the door to his cruiser.

"Be careful," Bella reminded him. Charlie nodded his head, a small smile apparent on his face.

"Always am."

"Thank you for the tires," I added, not wanting to be left out in the moment. Charlie looked at me and smiled before getting in his cruiser. I sighed and shook my head, heading towards the passenger's seat. I waited until Bella was seated and opened my mouth. "Charlie needs to ease up; I know he probably feels as awkward as we do but really, we are his daughters." I stated, frowning.

Bella shrugged her shoulders, keeping her eyes on the road. "But you can't help but admit that he is trying though; he changed our tires," She said and I nodded my head. "Though I hope he will try harder in the future."

[ ]

I pulled on my hoodie as I walked down the stairs to the parking lot, silently murmuring curses at the ocean of people that were walking down as well. I saw Bella waiting by the truck and I frowned. I hated making people wait for me – there was just this unpleasant feeling in my stomach whenever I am late or have people waiting for me. Bella says I was a stickler for time though we both wondered where I had gotten it from. I sighed in relief when I finally reached the bottom of the stairs and strode towards Bella.

Halfway through the parking lot, I was frozen to the ground, watching in horror as I watched a black van skidded across the parking lot, heading straight towards Bella. When I found the strength to move, I hurriedly rushed to where Bella was, screaming her name. I froze for the second time when the car collided and I felt my heart beating wildly. "Bella," I ran forward to the truck and felt tears running down my cheeks when I saw her on the ground, looking flabbergasted. I rushed towards her as she stood up and threw my arms around her, pulling her in to a hug. People were starting to crowd over us, I could hear Mike ordering someone to call an ambulance and I could distinctly hear Angela and Jessica's voices but I was too busy crying, trying to calm my thudding heart.

[ ]

"Tyler, please," I was exasperated. The boy had not stopped talking ever since he was placed beside Bella's stretched. Upon arriving in the hospital, they had put Bella in the emergency room: a long room with a line of beds, separated by pastel-patterned curtains. "Just be quiet for a minute!" I was starting to get annoyed by his insistent apologies. Before I could even get a word out of my mouth, Charlie charged through the door, panic plastered all over his face. I rushed towards him. "Dad," He strutted towards me, pulling me into a brief hug.

"I'm glad you are alright; where is Bella?" He asked before his eyes landed on Tyler. "You and I are going to talk," He pointed a finger to Tyler and I brought him to where Bella was sitting, a nurse hovering around her. "Are you alright?" Charlie asked Bella who nodded her head.

"I'm fine, dad. Calm down," Bella reassured as the nurse checked her blood pressure.

"I am so sorry, Bella. I tried to stop." Tyler tried to squeeze in the apology before I could turn my head back to him, Charlie turned around to face him, his words laced with anger as he said, "You can kiss your license goodbye," to Tyler and pulled the curtains.

"It was an accident, dad. The road was pretty wet from the ice," Bella said softly and I sighed before grasping her hand. My knees were still shaking from the incident earlier this afternoon. What made me all the more curious was the fact that Bella was still perfectly fine though there was a large dent on Tyler's door and the truck only had a minor dent. It was just not possible.

The door opened and a doctor walked in. "I heard the chief's daughters are in here." I turned around and my jaw dropped slightly. He was young, he was blonde and he was handsomer than any movie star I had ever seen! He was pale though, instantly reminding me of the Cullens. My eyes widened in realization; if this was this was _the_ Dr. Cullen, I was not surprised his kids were all beautiful and drop-dead gorgeous.

"Doctor Cullen," Charlie greeted, confirming my suspicion. Said doctor walked up to the nurse, murmuring "I got this one," to the nurse who nodded her head and walked away, attending to another patient. I saw Bella coming to the realization that this was Edward's father. She blinked a couple of times as she continued to openly stare at Doctor Cullen.

"Isabella," He stated as he looked at the clipboard, reading it.

"Bella," She corrected.

"Well, Bella, looks like you took quite a spill." He said, looking up from the clipboard, holding a pen in his hand. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Bella swallowed and I almost snickered if it was not for the serious situation we were in. Leave it to Bella to be awkward at times like this. Doctor Cullen held up a finger in front of her after he placed the clipboard on the bed.

"Look here." He said as he held up a small flashlight. "You might experience some post-traumatic stress or disorientation," I could almost hear Bella sighing. "But your vitals look good." He told her. I sighed in relief when I heard his conclusion. "No signs of any head trauma." He told both Charlie and me. I smiled gratefully at him and Bella gripped my hand in reassurance. "I think you will be just fine." He said to Bella, a smile graced his wonderful face.

"You know," She paused. "It would have been a whole lot worse if Edward was not there. He knocked me out of the way." I frowned when she revealed that information. Edward was nowhere near her…

"Edward," Charlie said. "Your boy?" He asked Dr. Cullen who was writing on the clipboard. Bella nodded her head and I continued to listen.

"Yeah, it was amazing." Bella continued and I saw a discomforting look marring his face. "I mean, he got to me so fast. He was nowhere near me." I was more than perplexed when I heard her explanation.

"Sounds like you were very lucky," Dr. Cullen smiled. "Charlie," He nodded his head at Charlie before excusing himself, walking out of the emergency room. I dropped Bella's hand when she tugged on it lightly. One way or another, I was going to figure out how in the world Bella had been 'very lucky' and why Dr. Cullen looked very uneasy when Bella mentioned about Edward.

Charlie opened the door for us and we walked out of the room. "I gotta go sign some paperwork." Charlie told us, making the both of us stop and we turned to look at him. "You should…" He trailed off and Bella sighed. "You should probably call your mom." My eyes widen when he said that and I could tell Bella did the same, though judging from the looks of it, she was slightly annoyed.

"Did you tell her?" She looked up at him. Charlie gave us both a look that said 'Duh, of course I did!' and Bella groaned in frustration before shoving her hand in her pocket, taking out her phone. "She's probably just freaking out." Bella walked away from us and I turned to look at Charlie. He gave me an apologetic look.

"It's okay; you had the right to do that. Bella is probably still overwhelmed with what has happened." I told Charlie and he sighed as he nodded his head. "Err; I could hold her bag, since you have to sign some paperwork and all. We will wait for you by the car later." I added and he smiled before nodding his head, handing Bella's bag to me and the key to his cruiser. I watched him walk away and I slowly headed towards Bella. Before I could even say anything, she turned towards me and handed the phone to me.

"Talk to her – explain everything. I need to talk to Edward." She muttered before placing the phone on my hand. I nodded my head, reminding myself to ask her later. My mom was in hysterics, of course. The moment I placed the phone on my ear and said 'hello', she burst into tears. I had to tell her that Bella felt fine at least thirty three times before she would calm down. After that I had to repeat what Doctor Cullen said about four times and she begged the two of us to come home – forgetting the fact that home was pretty empty at the moment and she was with Phil in God only knows where – but her pleas were easier to resist than I originally would have thought. Despite the cold weather, the beautiful Cullens and the odd people, Forks was home for me… for now.

That night, I made it my mission to sleep in Bella's room. Charlie seemed eager for me to do so, probably because he was still worried that Bella might have a concussion or something. I placed my pillow on the right side of the bed and waited for Bella to acknowledge me. She looked up from her homework, crossing her legs as she looked at me. "What?"

I smiled before sitting down beside her. "So… tell me exactly what had happened," It was more of an order than a statement. Bella looked at me for a minute before launching into full details about how Edward appeared out of nowhere and saved her. She told me Edward had been by his car, which was across the parking lot from where she was, he was much nearer to the stairs. She also told me how Edward had pushed the car from slamming into her, leaving a rather huge dent in Tyler's truck. "Did you confront him?" I asked as I made myself comfortable on her bed. She nodded her head and proceeded to tell me what Edward and her were talking about at the hospital.

"I just... have this nagging feeling that he is different," Bella murmured after a while, settling beside me. "You feel it too, don't you?" She looked to her right and I nodded my head. "But either way, I will find out what it is." I frowned a little, turning my head to look at her.

"Just be careful, Bella. Curiosity killed the cat," I reminded her and she gave me a small smirk before closing her eyes.

"Satisfaction brought it back, Marie."

[ ]

"Are you waiting for him, Bells?" I asked as I pulled my coat tighter, shielding my body from the wind. Bella nodded her head as she stared at the dent before looking away from it. I knew she was more than determined to solve the mysteries in her head. I also knew that talking her out of it would do no good – one thing about Bella was when she was determined, nothing, I mean, nothing, can stop her will. "Did you get a good sleep last night? I felt you tossing and turning." I told her and she frowned slightly as she nodded her head.

"I had a dream about Edward." Bella stated and I cringed. "Not like that, you idiot," She added quickly and I laughed, teasing her was always fun. "It was… weird." I nodded my head, waiting for her to elaborate. "In my dream, it was very dark and what dim light there was, seemed to be radiating from Edward's skin. I couldn't see his face, just his back as he walked away from me, leaving me in the darkness. The dream haunted me," She shrugged her shoulders and I slid my arm on her shoulder, pulling her to me, giving her a side-hug. She patted my side before looking up. I followed her gaze and stared as Edward, Alice and Jasper walked around. My attention was brought back to the current situation when Mike's head blocked my vision.

"Look at you, huh," Mike eyed Bella. "You're alive," He exclaimed with a huge grin on his face. I giggled at his antics before pulling my hand back from Bella's shoulder.

Bella shook her head. "I know, yeah. False alarm, I guess." She shot me a look and I smiled at her. Mike nodded his head as he pulled the strap of his bag over to his shoulder.

"Yeah," He looked down, hesitating. I cleared my throat and excusing myself. Despite Bella's glare, I decided to give Mike the space he needed and walked towards the bus, waiting patiently for Bella. I quickly looked away when I saw her looking at me, desperation shown on her face.

"Hi," A voice chirped beside me and I jumped slightly, startled by the fact that I was standing beside three of the Cullens. "I'm Alice," She smiled and I returned her smile, nodding my head.

"Amaryllis – Marie," I told her and she just nodded her head, the smile still plastered on her face. I wondered if she was always this chirpy.

"This is Jasper and my brother, Edward." Alice motioned at the two men behind her. I was somewhat confused as to why Edward was glaring daggers at Bella's direction and confused as to why Jasper looked uncomfortable. "Will you be riding with us?" She asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I suppose, I have to wait for Bella though." I told her and she nodded her head before turning around to talk to Jasper and Edward. I looked back to where Bella was, only to see her walking towards me with an annoyed look on her face. I gave her a sheepish smile and said my goodbyes to Alice before heading towards her. "So, what did you say?"

"Did you know about this?" Bella gave me an exasperated look. "He asked me to the prom but you know me, dancing and me… it will only end up with me getting into an accident or falling down," She explained. "I told him we are going to Jacksonville that weekend, non-refundable ticket. Then I felt slightly bad for turning him down so I steered him in Jessica's direction. I know she's been wanting for Mike to ask her!" Bella told me and I grinned, nodding my head.

"I'm glad our trips are together." I told Bella as we approached the buses. She nodded her head but I could feel that her concentration was not even at me. I followed her gaze and smiled to myself; she was still staring at Edward Cullen.

* * *

**Author's note:  
Thank you so much for the favs and alerts - that means I'm doing something right, aren't I? ;) I would really appreciate it if you would leave a review and all; I want to know what you think of it. I know it's kinda slow but I hope you enjoyed it. And to _verabellezza_**_,_ **yes, that's the plan. :)**** Do leave me reviews, _please_? lol. See you lot when I update! xx**


	4. Open book

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I still own nothing except some of the plots and my character. Other than that, it breaks my heart to say it but the rest belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Title: Stitch by Stitch**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions?**

* * *

_Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you,  
It's easy.  
- The Beatles_

* * *

Bella dropped her bags on the chair, picked up Charlie's plate and walked towards the sink. I smiled apprehensively at Charlie when he looked up from the newspaper he was reading. I picked up her fallen bag and placed it down beside the chair. "Your mom called," Charlie stated as he folded the newspaper. "Again," He added.

Bella sighed as she placed the plate in the sink. "Well, that's your fault." She said. "You shouldn't have told her about the 'almost' accident. Marie, can you help clear the table?" She asked me as she began washing the plate. I nodded my head, picking up the trash that was on the table.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Charlie said as he sipped his drink. I released my hair from my braids and tied in a ponytail. "Your mom also insisted that you reply her emails, Marie." Charlie looked at me when he said that and I smiled sheepishly – I haven't been checking my emails like I promised her I would. "She always did know how to worry."

"Sure, I'm just going to do that now." I told the both of them. I knew not to cross Bella when she was annoyed – I happened to notice that she was in her 'moods' after the field trip and I also saw her talking to Edward during and after the trip. I have concluded that whatever is making her annoyed was definitely related to Edward Cullen. I picked up a bottle of water from the counter and walked up the stairs, heading straight to my room. The trip left me exhausted – the smell of the things that were in the place left me nauseated. I switched on my laptop and signed in to my email, chuckling to myself when I see 30 emails from my mom. Each of them was either a random description of what she was doing that day, a 'I miss you' and a 'Reply me!'.

I kicked off my shoes and picked up my laptop, heading for my bed. Once I was all tucked in, I picked up my laptop and placed it on my lap. I decided to reply to her email.

**Dear mom,**

**Calm yourself down before you get an aneurysm or a conniption. Bella and I are fine; still healthy and no more getting into accidents. I can assure you that Bella is still doing well. We have made a few friends ever since we got here: Eric, Mike, Jessica and Angela and the occasional chit chat with Tyler – the boy that almost hit Bella with his car, yeah. Other than that, classes are doing well and I have most of my classes with Bella except for English and Biology. What else? Charlie's doing fine as well. Oh, lately, Bella's been obsessing over this boy in school – Edward Cullen, that's his name. Don't tell her I told you but clearly Bella likes the boy. He seems nice – when he does not constantly glare at you but his sister, Alice, is nice. I have yet to see Mrs. Cullen but if Doctor Cullen was drop-dead gorgeous, I bet Mrs. Cullen would be breath-taking. Anyway, I promise I would reply to your emails regularly and ease up on the calling, please? Say hi to Phil for me.**

**Love,  
Marie.**

I reread what I wrote and when I was satisfied, I sent the email to my mom. I surfed the net for a few minutes before shutting the laptop and placed it beside me. I pondered for a few minutes on whether I should take a shower or not but the minute I rested my head on the pillow, I drifted off to sleep.

[ ]

The next day of school was surprisingly better. It was lunch and Bella and I were headed towards our table when I noticed Edward staring intently at Bella. That caused me to smile and Bella raised one of her eyebrows in confusion. I merely shook my head and took a seat, telling Bella to get me an apple. She shot me a disapproving look before walking towards the bar. "So what was up with all the chit-chat?" I asked as I sipped my water.

"La Push, baby, La Push," Eric smiled creepily. I tilted my head to the side. "You girls in?"

I shrugged my shoulders and looked over to where Bella was and to my surprise, she was talking to Edward. I looked away from them and stared at Eric. "Should I know what that means?" I asked him.

"La Push Beach down at the Quileute Rez," Mike explained with a mouth full of food. I nodded my head slowly and smiled at Tyler who was sitting beside Mike. Ever since the near-accident with Bella, I found out that Tyler is actually a good guy to hang out with, even though he could get kind of needy at times. I smiled at Angela when she lifted her camera towards me. "We're all going tomorrow."

"Yeah, there's a big swell coming in." Jessica stated and Bella sat down beside me. She placed the apple on my hand and I thanked her before looking at the people at the table.

"And I don't just surf the internet." Eric exclaimed, standing up. Bella looked at him in surprise. I pulled her down and she sat beside me, still staring at Eric. Angela took the time to take a picture of Eric. Mike stood up on his seat and began 'air-surfing'.

"Eric, you stood up once," Jessica reminded him. "And it was a foam board," She pointed out and I giggled. He rolled his eyes and sat down.

Angela placed her camera on the table as she turned to look at us. "But there's whale watching, too." She said and a minute later, added "Come with us."

"La Push, baby. It's La Push." I nearly choked on my apple when Eric said and Bella nearly spat out the cucumber she was eating. I chortled and nodded my head, turning to look at Bella.

"Okay, I'll go if you stop saying that, okay?" Bella mused, not even bothering to stop the smile from appearing on her face. Jessica, Angela and I laughed at her response. Mike nodded his head in agreement.

"Seriously, dude. It's creepy, man." Mike stated as he ate his food. I smiled and looked around the cafeteria when I saw Edward staring at Bella. I raised one of my eyebrows when he looked at me. He looked back at Bella before looking back at me. I nudged Bella slightly and she looked at me, her mouth filled with salad.

"Edward looks like he wants to talk to you," I whispered and Bella looked at him before shrugging her shoulders. I rolled my eyes and turned to look at Bella. "Go get me another apple, Bells. Please?" I gave her the best pout I could muster and she laughed before shaking her head and headed towards the bar. I smiled when I saw Edward standing up, walking towards the bar as well. I mentally gave myself a pat on the back and as I was doing that, Alice smiled at me. I gave her a little wave before turning to talk to my friends.

[ ]

Of course, Edward did not show up at La Push. I kept my gaze locked on Bella as she chewed the licorice silently. Despite the front she had put on, I knew she was disappointed. Upon arriving home yesterday, Bella immediately told me about how she finally got the guts to actually ask Edward to come along to the beach with us. I was standing beside Bella, who was sitting down in the car with Angela, a quilt wrapped around each of us. "It's very windy here," I said as I watched Mike and Eric chatting excitedly about the waves.

I had been to the beaches around La Push many times during my Forks summers with Charlie and Bella so the mile-long crescent of First Beach was familiar to me. It was still breathtaking. The water looked dark gray from where I was standing, even in the sunlight, white-capped and heaving to the gray, rocky shore. There was a brisk wind coming off the waves, cool and briny. I shivered and pulled the quilt around my body.

"So, I keep thinking that Eric is going to ask me to the prom… and he just doesn't," Angela explained, shaking her head, looking miffed at the mere thought. Bella looked at Eric before chewing her licorice slowly.

"You should ask him." She suggested. Angela lifted her head from the cool glass, shaking her head slightly. "Take control." Bella added.

"Yeah," I nodded my head in agreement. "You are a strong, independent woman." I told her, silently hoping that she would listen to our suggestions. Angela bit her lips as she stared at us.

"I am?"

"Yes," Bella and I said in unison. Angela smiled at us and our moment was ruined by Jessica walking up to where Angela was.

"Hey, will you do me up?" She asked as she turned her back to Angela. I looked away from them and squinted – was that who I think it was, walking towards us?

"Hey, Bella, Marie," Jacob called out as he stopped in front of me, his two friends trailing behind him. I gave him a smile, greeting him.

"Guys, this is Jacob." Bella introduced, her mouth filled with licorice. Jacob looked at the girls beside Bella, smiling slightly at them.

"Hey, guys. How you doing?" I coughed to cover my laughter when Angela and Jessica looked at Jacob weirdly. My smile widened when Jacob stood beside me, leaning against the car door.

"What are you, like, stalking us?" Bella asked as she turned to look at Jacob.

Jacob scoffed, "You are on my rez, remember?" He retorted. Bella rolled her eyes and I laughed, shaking my head at their conversation. "Are you two surfing?" Jacob asked as he looked at me. I shook my head and at the same time, Bella said "Definitely not." And handed him a piece of licorice. Jacob murmured his thanks as he bit onto said item. I grabbed two more of the licorice and handed it to Jacob's friends, nodding my head at them when they thanked me.

I took the time to actually look at Jacob. Other than the fact that we used to play together when we were little and he was the son of Billy Black, I practically remembered very little about him. Jacob looked fifteen, maybe sixteen, and had long, glossy black hair. His skin was beautiful, silky and russet-coloured; his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. He still had just a hint of childish roundness left around his chin. Altogether, a very pretty face.

I was brought out of my train of thoughts by Bella who was nudging my side. I blinked a couple of times only to find out that Jacob was staring at me, his beautiful eyes hopeful. I gulped and looked at Bella before looking back at Jacob. "What?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at me sheepishly. "I asked if you wanted to go for a walk with me," He muttered but seeing as I was near him, I heard everything he said and I could not help but smile, nodding my head. Jacob grinned at me and told his friends to watch over Bella. I handed the quilt to Bella and fixed the beanie on my head before following Jacob.

"So…" I trailed off. Jacob glanced at me. "You are the youngest of your family right? I think I remember you having sisters." I stated as we started to head towards the beach. Jacob nodded his head. "Are they here?" I examined the place, wondering if I would recognize them now.

"No." Jacob shook his head. "Rachel got a scholarship to Washington State and Rebecca married a Samoan surfer – she lives in Hawaii now." He informed me and I nodded my head, stunned by what I had heard. The twins were only a little over a year older than I was.

As we walked north across the multi-hued stones toward the driftwood seawall, the clouds finally closed ranks across the sky, causing the sea to darken and the temperature to drop. I hastily shoved my hands deep into the pockets of my jacket. "So…" I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "You're what, sixteen?" I asked, trying to not sound like an idiot. Jacob chuckled as he shook his head.

"I just turned fifteen," He confessed and I stared at him in shock. "Yeah, I get that a lot: I'm tall for my age." He explained but left it at that. I nodded my head, shivering slightly when a wind caressed my cheeks and I subconsciously stepped closer to Jacob. He merely smiled at me and I sighed in relief.

I was enjoying the silence when I realized something. I turned to look at him. "What did your friends mean about, you know, 'The Cullens don't come here?'" I asked him, stepping closer to him, making my left side brush against his body. I really needed to dress better for these situations, I thought to myself as I shivered once more.

"You caught that, huh?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not really supposed to say anything about it." Jacob looked at me. I frowned slightly – judging from the way Jacob was avoiding my question, it must have been something negative. So I tried a different approach – one that I hoped would work or else I would end up making an embarrassing fool out of myself.

"Hey, I can keep a secret." I nudged him slightly; giving him what I hoped was _at least_ a sexy smile. He laughed uncomfortably, looking away from me for a second. If I was not that curios to hear what he was about to say, I would have let my thoughts stray to how adorable his laughter sounded, albeit uncomfortably. I continued to look at him, waiting for the moment when he would crack under my stare.

"Really, it's just like an old scary story." Jacob stated, flashing his white teeth as he turned to look at me. I bit my lip for a second before looking at the sand.

"Well, I want to know." I looked at him, giving him the pout no one has yet to say no to. He stared at me and looked away, hesitating. I smiled; no one could resist my pout.

"Okay, did you know Quileutes are supposedly descended from wolves?" Jacob asked as he turned to look at me. I blinked in confusion – that was **not** what I had expected to come from his mouth.

I stared at him. "What?" I asked incredulously. "Like, wolves?" I added. Jacob's grin got wider when he saw the perplexed look on my face and he let out a chuckle. He nodded his head. "Like, real wolves?"

"Well, that's the legend of our tribe." Jacob looked ahead. I frowned but nodded my head: I still had no idea where this conversation was going. So I asked him what it had to do with the Cullens. He chuckled at me before starting to tell me about the legend. I continued to look at him as he described how The Cullens were supposedly descendent from the enemy clan and how his great grandfather, the chief, found them hunting on their land. I was somewhat gob smacked when Jacob explained how they claimed to be something different and how a treaty was made between the two of them: if they were to stay off the Quileute lands, they would not be exposed. My brain was reeling all the information in like it was oxygen.

I frowned. "I thought they just moved here." Jacob had a smug look on his face, though I was not sure why he was being smug. He looked at me and smirked.

"Or just moved back." He smiled in my direction and I was about to say something when a loud shriek startled the both us. I turned to my left and let out a sigh when I saw that Eric was busy teasing Angela. I chuckled at the sight before looking back at Jacob. "You have goose bumps." Jacob laughed delightedly. I rolled my eyes but could not keep the smile from my face.

"Well, you are a good storyteller." I complimented him and shivered. He was about to say something when the sound of the beach rocks clattering against each other warned us that someone was approaching. Our heads snapped up at the same time to see Mike and Jessica, about fifty yards away, walking toward us.

"There you are, Marie," Mike called in relief, waving his arm over his head.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Jacob asked, alerted by the jealous edge in Mike's voice. I was surprised to hear it and I shook my head.

"No, definitely not," I whispered. I was tremendously grateful to Jacob, for telling me about the legend of the tribe and eager to make him as happy as possible. I winked at him, carefully turning away from Mike to do so. Jacob smiled, elated by my inept flirting. He looked adorable, grinning from ear to ear as he stared at me. I blushed under his stare and he lifted his hands, fixing my beanie and pulling the hood of my jacket over my head. "Thanks." I smiled shyly at him.

The grin stretched across his face. "No problem – it seems like it's going to rain," Jacob looked at the sky. "You should probably head back – your friend looks like he is about to rip my head off." He stated and I shrugged my shoulders. When Mike and Jessica reached us, I had already given Jacob a hug and a promise to meet up with him soon. "It was nice to see you _again_, Marie." He stated but judging from the tone of his voice, I knew he was taunting Mike. I coughed, to hide the laughter that was bubbling inside before nodding my head. I waved my hand when he jogged over to meet with his two friends and I hurriedly headed towards Bella, ecstatic to share what Jacob had shared to me about The Cullens.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**

Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! That was the most review that I got for one chapter! All of you deserve cookies! or muffins... lol! Thank you to those who still continue to put this story on alert and fav it! Do drop by your reviews - I really want to know what you think on the story. To answer some of the questions: English is not my first language, Marie and Alice will become closer much later, for now they are merely acquaintances and yes, my chapters are always long.


	5. Playing with lightning

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns what you recognize – other than that, they would most probably belong to yours truly! **

**Title:** **Stitch by Stitch**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions?**

* * *

_I've been addicted to you since the first hit  
out of control like a surge of electric_  
- The Wanted

* * *

"No!"

I wrenched upright out of my bed and blinked a few times, hearing a clatter on the floor. I looked at my clock on the dresser and frowned when I saw that it was five-thirty in the morning. I groaned and rolled over onto my face, wondering if I should go and check on Bella. After pondering for a minute, I pushed myself from the bed and got out of my room, heading towards Bella's room. I knocked twice and heard her shuffling across the floor before her door opened. Bella looked uncomfortable and disoriented. "Are you feeling alright?" I asked her and stepped inside her room when she opened her door wider. I sat down on the chair across her bed and watched as she kicked off her boots. "Another nightmare?" I frowned when she nodded her head.

"It was slightly different this time around," She mumbled as she ripped the rubber band out, quickly combing through the plaits with her fingers. "It started with me waking up in the forest and I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks somewhere nearby. I was trying to follow the sun but then Jacob appeared and he kept pulling me back towards the blackest part of the forest." Bella began, still combing her hair. I pulled my legs up on the chair and hugged them to my chest. "His face was frightened and he kept yanking me with all his strength but every time I asked him what was wrong, all he told me to do was 'run' – he sounded absolutely terrified." She breathed out. "And suddenly, he was on the ground, writhing in pain. A minute later, a large red-brown wolf with black eyes appeared in his stead and Edward stepped out from the trees – his eyes black and dangerous!" She started breathing heavily and I set my feet on the ground and walked over to where she was sitting on the bed, pulling her into my arms. She shivered and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Maybe I should not have told you about what Jacob said; you seem to be getting more of these nightmares, Bells. You never used to have nightmares that go on and on like this." I pulled back, looking at her worriedly. She gave me a small smile before shaking her head. "Maybe we could go visit the doctors or at least get sleeping pills." I pushed her hair away from her face.

"No; I will be fine." She stated firmly. "I just… really need to solve this puzzle. You know how that feels, don't you, Marie?" Bella questioned and I nodded my head slowly. "It's like it's within reach but…" she trailed off, sighing. I patted her back and walked over to her desk, switching on her laptop. "What are you doing?" Bella followed me, peering over my shoulder.

"If you can't beat them, you join them." I told her and typed in 'Quileute legends' on Google. "Now, you sit here and read through whatever it is that you need to know and I will be back with breakfast." I told her as I stepped away from the laptop. She smiled gratefully and sat down on the chair. "Would cereal be fine?" I asked her, too lazy to actually be cooking. Bella mumbled her answer and I shrugged my shoulders, taking that as a 'yes' as I walked out of her bedroom.

[ ]

During lunch, I sat beside Jessica, facing Bella, trying to bask in the glorious warmth as much as I could. I bit on to the apple I was holding and smirked to myself: Bella was anxiously looking around, playing with the fruit in her hands. I didn't need to ask who she was looking for, it was rather obvious.

"He's not here," Jessica spoke up. I blinked a couple of times as I turned to look at her. Bella did the same. "Whenever the weather's nice, the Cullens disappear." She stated and the conversation between Jacob and I flashed in mind. I frowned slightly, considering the possibilities before shaking my head, shoving everything to the back of my mind.

"What, do they just ditch?" Bella asked.

Jessica shook her head, "No, um, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen yank them out for like hiking, camping and stuff." She murmured loud enough for us to hear. "I tried that out on my parents, not even close." She mused and I giggled, remembering the times I would try and pretend I was sick whenever I didn't feel like attending school back when I was a kid.

I smiled when I saw Angela rushing towards us with a huge smile plastered on her face. "Guys, I'm going to the prom with Eric!" She gushed as she sat down beside Bella. "I just asked him: I took control." The smile on my face got bigger when I realized that she had actually listened to what Bella and I had suggested.

Bella mirrored my smile. "I told you that would happen," She said excitedly and hugged Angela briefly. Angela looked at me and I congratulated her as I gave her a brief hug as well.

"Are you sure the two of you have to go out of town?" Angela's excitement faltered and Bella looked at her apprehensively. I nodded my head.

"It's a little family thing," I shrugged my shoulders and finished the apple. Jessica closed her eyes and leaned against my back.

"Okay, we should go shopping in Port Angeles before all the good dresses get cleaned out." Jessica stated when the bell rung. Angela stood up and grabbed her bag, stepping back a little for me to reach for my bag and stepping down from the table. Jessica picked up her bag and I looked at Bella, waiting for her to stand up.

"Port Angeles?" Bella looked at Jessica. "Would you mind if we come?" She shot me a look before I could even open my mouth. Angela nodded her head at the same time Jessica did.

"We need your opinions," Angela stated as a matter-of-factly. I smiled at her and nodded my head before ushering Bella to get off her seat. Jessica talked of nothing but the dance on the way to Spanish, continuing as if without an interruption. Angela and I made small talk about the _Macbeth_ paper.

[ ]

"Dad, Bells and I are headed to Port Angeles with two of our friends later." I told Charlie once the final bell rung. "Jessica and Angela wanted Bells and I to help them choose their dresses for the dance." I added as I walked towards the car park.

"_Jessica Stanley?_" He asked.

"And Angela Weber," I sighed as I gave him the details. I could tell he was starting to get confused. "We are going to _help_ them find the perfect dress for the dance. We might be eating dinner there as well hence the reason why I am calling you. Thought I ought to tell you that you needed to make dinner tonight." I waved a little when I saw Eric waving at me.

"_Well, okay._" Charlie seemed to realize that he was out of his depth with the girlie stuff. "_It's a school night though._" He said. "_Just don't stay out too late._" He added and I nodded my head before rolling my eyes – he couldn't see me do that, now could he?

"Will try our best not to, dad."

"_Oh, Marie? Stay safe, both of you._" I was touched when I heard him say that and promised that at the first sign of danger; he would be the first one I would call for. After saying our awkward goodbye, Bella came out with Jessica and Angela.

[ ]

We made it to Port Angeles by four with Jessica's driving. All the while, I had been looking out the window, taking in the scenery. Port Angeles was a beautiful little tourist trap, much more polished and quaint than Forks, I mused. Jessica drove straight to the one big department store in town which was a few streets in from the bay area's visitor-friendly face.

The dance was billed as semi formal and all four of us weren't exactly sure what that meant. Both Jessica and Angela seemed surprised and almost disbelieving when Bella told them we had never been to a dance in Phoenix. I nodded my head in agreement. "I didn't attend them because Bella didn't; I wouldn't want to do something fun when my sister feels alienated by said event." I told them without a care as Jessica led us to the shop. Bella immediately headed towards the low chair just beside the dressing room, near the window.

"This would look nice on you, Jess," I called out to Jessica, who immediately rushed to my side. I handed a knee-length electric blue with spaghetti straps dress to her. "I think it would definitely make your eyes pop." Jessica grinned and walked towards the dressing room. "And as for you," I said to Angela, picking up a pale pink dress that would compliment her tall frame and bring out the honey tints in her light brown hair. "Here you go," I handed it to her and she thanked me, before rushing towards the dressing room. I walked over to where Bella was and sat beside her.

"I'm going to look for the bookstore later," Bella said as she took out a small piece of paper, showing the badly-scribbled address on it.

"Do you want me to come along with you?" I asked her and she shook her head. "But it wouldn't be safe for you to be all alone here," I frowned as I told this to her. Bella sighed and nodded her head.

"I know, but I really need to do this on my own. I just want to figure things out," Bella said before looking at me. "Besides, we have only been here for three minutes, nearing four, and you have already helped out with the both of them. Clearly, you are better at this than I am." Bella explained. "Besides, I will have my phone on me, always."

I pondered for a bit but before I could answer, Jessica and Angela came out from the dressing room, heading towards the mirror. "Okay, I like this one: it makes my boobs look good." Jessica said, fixing her hair. A knock resounded throughout the place and all four of us looked at the window. I winced in distaste when I saw a group of men who looked like they were clearly enjoying the display.

"That's disgusting," Bella spat.

"And downright horrible," I added before facing Jessica and Angela. "It looks really great on the both of you!" I nodded my head. "Your dates will never let you out of their sights!" I said cheekily, making Angela laugh. Jessica grinned widely, liking the possibility of Mike not leaving her during the dance.

"You're not really into this, are you?" Angela asked Bella who actually had the decency to look apologetic and embarrassed at the same time.

"I actually really just want to go to this bookstore." She looked down at the piece of paper she was holding in her hand. She began packing up her stuff. "I'll meet you guys at the restaurant?" She suggested and stood up. I looked at her and she gave me a small smile. "My phone is in my pocket," She patted the pocket of her jeans.

"Are you sure?" I asked her and she nodded her head, picking up her jacket.

"Yeah, yeah: I'll see you in a few." Bella said and gave me a hug before walking out of the store. I waited until she was out of my sight before turning to look at Angela and Jessica who were busy checking themselves in the mirror and talking about the dance.

Thirty minutes later, we headed over to shoes and accessories. While they tried things on, I merely watched and critiqued, not really in the mood to shop for myself, though a few shoes and bangles caught my eyes. "I like those," I pointed at the pair of pink strappy heels that Angela was trying. She held her leg out, twisting her ankle to get a better view of the shoe. Jessica had drifted to the jewelry counter and the both of us were alone. Fifteen minutes later, Jessica returned to show us the rhinestone jewelry she had found to match with the silver shoes that I had picked for her. The girls' day high was wearing off and I was starting to get rather bored and hungry.

La Bella Italia was filled with lights. The restaurant wasn't crowded – it was the off-season in Port Angeles. The host was a male and I understood the look in her eyes as he assessed the three of us. I rolled my eyes and scowled when he welcomed us a little more warmly than necessary. He led us to a small ring of booths and told us to choose before telling us our server would be with us momentarily.

"Do you think I should order for Bella?" I asked to no one in particular. Angela shrugged her shoulders and Jessica blatantly zoned me out as she scanned through the menu. I took out my phone and decided to text Bella. Her reply came at the same time as our server. Angela looked expectantly at me. "She told me to eat and she will see me later," I said, shoving my phone in the pocket of my jacket. "I'll have coke and mushroom ravioli." I told the server and for the rest of the time, I sat there eating quietly, thinking about the Quileute legends.

[ ]

"God, Bella!" I immediately rushed towards her, inspecting her for any injuries before turning to look at Edward Cullen. "Whatever you did, thank you," He raised one of his eyebrows at me, his expression still stoic. "Knowing Bella, she must have gotten into some kind of trouble and you magically found her, saving her from said trouble." I explained and he chortled, nodding his head slightly.

"Something like that," Edward said. "We haven't exactly met each other before; I'm Edward Cullen, you must be Amaryllis." He stated and I nodded my head.

"Marie, please. Amaryllis reminds me of the times when my mom used to scold us," I told him and he nodded his head stiffly. I turned to look at Bella who had a thoughtful look on her face. "Well, I'm just going to get Jessica and Angela to drop me off." I said to her. "_You_ are going to send her back later, right?" I asked Edward, narrowing my eyes at him. His eyes sparkled with mirth and he slowly nodded his head. I gave Bella a hug and smiled when she thanked me. I eyed Edward before walking over to where Jessica and Angela were waiting for me.

[ ]

Charlie approached me that night when I was doing my assignments. "I heard about what happened," I told him as I pushed away the strands of hair that fell onto my face. "Dad, I'm really sorry."

Charlie as silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts, I suppose. "I've known him going on 30 years," I kept quiet, not knowing what to say. This was the first time in my life where I had seen Charlie looking downright sad. I grasped his shoulder and gave him a hug. His hands stayed at his side for a minute before hugging me back, albeit stiffly. I pulled back a few minutes later and leaned against his shoulder. "Don't worry, we're gonna find this thing." He stated, breaking the silence. "Meantime, I want you to carry this with you." Charlie took out a pepper spray from his pocket and handed it to me and I nodded my head. "I gave one to your sister earlier at the station." We stayed in that position for a good ten minutes before Charlie excused himself, saying that he was tired. I quickly finished my assignment and as I was putting away the assignment in my bag, Bella walked in with a pillow in her arm.

"I wanna talk to you," Bella said as she sat down on the bed. I nodded my head, acknowledging her presence in my room. "I think the Quileute legends are real." She stated and I froze. "I mean, about the cold ones," She continued and I sighed in relief, a frown evident on my face. I had no idea as to why I had frozen when she started talking about the Quileute legends but I shrugged it off. "I read it in the book I bought earlier: it said something about the 'Cold One' so I went to Google it." I stood up and walked over to my bed, crawling under the duvet, still listening to Bella talking. "I think I know what he is," Bella whispered and I looked at her. "But I'm not quite sure yet," She yawned and settled in beside me.

"Whatever it is, you can always ask him when you see him," I told her. "Though I have my suspicions as well," I added remembering the thoughts that I had banished to the back of my mind. I closed my eyes, wanting to forget about my curiosity and somehow my thoughts drifted off to Jacob. It had been a while since I last saw him and seeing as I don't know my way around La Push, I couldn't visit him either. The next time I see him, I will ask for his number, I thought to myself as I drifted off to sleep.

[ ]

The next few days flew by quickly: it didn't help that I had somehow gotten sick and all I did is sleep. I was surprised when Bella said she was dating Edward. I was somewhat baffled when Bella told me it was not her story to tell when I asked her how in the world that had happened and when it had happened. Knowing that Bella would tell me when she was ready, I decided to forget about it, shoving the whole thing to the back of my mind. Despite the minor obstacle, she told me how people had reacted, which caused me to snicker every now and then.

It was unusually foggy; the air was almost smoky with it. The mist was ice cold where it clung to the exposed skin on my face and neck. I couldn't wait to get the heat going in the truck. It was such a thick fog that I was a few feet down the driveway before I realized that there was a car in it: a silver car. "Bells, is that who I think it is?" I asked her and she nodded her head, stuttering something incoherent. I didn't see where he came from but suddenly he was there, standing in front of Bella. He shot me a smile and I returned it, not wanting to be rude to my sister's boyfriend.

"Do you want to ride with me today?" Edward asked and judging by the amused look on his face, I knew he was smug about surprising Bella.

"Yes, thank you," Bella said, trying to keep her voice calm. I cleared my throat and both of them stared at me, as if realizing I was there. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Before you say anything, I'm just gonna drive myself to school. I don't think I can handle all the sexual tension between the two of you," I teased Bella, who blushed profusely. I laughed and shook my head, taking the car keys from her hand, nudging her towards Edward. Edward held her arm and looked at me.

"Thank you; we really need to get acquainted soon." He told me and I smiled at him. Bella looked at me gratefully before she was lead to the car by Edward. I sighed when I saw Edward pulling the door open for her. I quickly looked away and stepped inside the truck. Bella was lucky; she was lucky to have found a man that was good for her. I shook my head and drove through the fog-shrouded streets. When I arrived at school, Angela was the first one to give me a hug and told me whatever it was I had been missing for the past three days that I had been absent.

[ ]

I stepped out of the door, just in time to see the shiny Volvo that belonged to Edward race down the street. "Was that Edward?" I asked Bella as I walked over to where she was, taking the sponge from her hand. The frown on her face disappeared and she nodded her head, staring at the street. I shrugged my shoulders and began to wash the truck.

I looked up in time to see Billy smiling warmly at the two of us. I grinned and dropped the sponge in the bucket as he pulled into our drive-way. Jacob was already climbing out, his wide grin visible. Just then, Charlie's cruiser swung around the corner. "Billy!" Charlie called as soon as he got out of the car. I walked over to his truck and opened Billy's door at the same time Jacob brought the wheelchair. "I'm going to pretend I didn't see you behind the wheel, Jake." He said disapprovingly.

"We get permits early on the rez," Jacob said as he helped his dad on to the chair.

Charlie laughed, "Sure you do."

Bella brushed away the hair that fell to her eyes. "Come to visit your truck?"

"I have to _get_ around somehow," Billy retaliated playfully to Charlie as Jacob dropped the bags he was holding on to Billy's lap. "Actually, we came to visit your flat-screen." He wheeled himself forward. "First Mariners game of the season." Billy told us and I nodded my head, though I have absolutely no idea what he was talking about. I glanced at Bella and nearly laughed when I saw the look on her face: she too, didn't know what he was talking about. "Plus Jacob here keeps bugging me about seeing you two," I blushed slightly when Billy stared at me. I looked at Jacob and had to fight the grin off of my face when he looked down, clearly embarrassed.

"Are you hungry?" I asked to no one in particular as we headed towards the house. I was eager to escape the conversation that was going on.

"Nope, we ate just before we came," Jacob answered. I nodded my head as I pushed open the door and waited for everyone to go in before walking inside.

"How about you, dad?" I called over my shoulder as I fled around the corner. "Sure," he replied, his voice moving in the direction of the front room and the TV. I could hear Billy's chair follow. Bella excused herself, telling Charlie and I that she was going to go out soon.

The grilled cheese sandwiches were in the frying pan and I was slicing up a tomato when I sensed someone behind me. "So, how are things?" Jacob asked.

"Pretty good," I smiled. His enthusiasm was hard to resist. "How about you? Did you finish your car?" I asked and he frowned as he shook his head.

"Is something wrong with the truck?" He asked suddenly and I frowned, placing the knife on the board, turning to look at him in confusion. "I was wondering because Bella wasn't driving it." I nodded my head as I stared down at the pan, pulling up the edge of a sandwich to check the bottom side.

"Bella usually drives the both of us but since she got a ride with her… friend, I'll be officially driving it soon." I answered.

"Nice ride." Jacob's voice was admiring and I could practically listen to him talk for the whole day. I jumped slightly when I realized what I was thinking, shaking my head slightly. "I didn't recognize the driver, though. I thought I knew most of the kids around here." I nodded, noncommittally, flipping the sandwiches. I had nothing to say his statement because I too didn't quite know about Edward, other than the fact that Bella simply adores him and she trusted him. That was enough for me. "My dad seemed to know him from somewhere."

"Jacob," I interrupted him. "Could you hand me some plates? They're in the cupboard over the sink." I pointed in the direction of the sink. He nodded his head and got the plates in silence. He set the two plates on the counter next to me.

I stayed in the front room after I carried the food out to Charlie, pretending to watch the game while Jacob chattered beside me. I covered my mouth as I yawned, my eyes drooping every now and then. Jacob chuckled and I looked up at him. "You know you can go to sleep," He said and I nodded my head slowly; the only reason why I had not hightailed straight to my room after making the sandwiches was because of him, not that I would tell him.

I was almost asleep when I remembered something. I sat up and took out my phone from my jeans' pocket, handing it towards him. Jacob looked at me skeptically. "Phone number," I murmured and he smiled before taking it from my hand, his fingers brushing against mine, making me shiver slightly. After a minute, he handed it back to me. I smiled at him and shoved the phone back into the pocket, staring at the TV. I will never understand this, I thought to myself and without thinking, leaned against Jacob's shoulder, stretching my feet for a few seconds before curling up at his side. I didn't bother to look up – I was embarrassed at my bold actions as it was. But Jacob surprised me by dropping his hand on my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. I yawned once more and snuggled closer, closing my eyes. A minute later, I drifted off to sleep.

[ ]

I was slightly disorientated when I woke up. I looked around and noticed that I was on my bed and Bella was writing on my table. "Bells?" my voice broke and I cleared my throat. She turned around to look at me and smiled knowingly. I frowned slightly as I ruffled my already messy hair. I looked at my clock and saw that it was fifteen past midnight. "How did I end up here?" I asked her, trying to remember what happened.

Bella smirked. "Are you sure you don't remember how you ended up here?" She asked me and I shook my head. Bella laughed before shaking her head. "The game ended a few hours ago. By that time, you were already fast asleep, curled against Jake." My eyes widened at her explanation and my cheeks reddened as the memories rushed by. Bella walked over to the bed and sat beside me. "So… you and Jake, huh?" She teased.

I rolled my eyes at her: I could feel my cheeks getting redder. "There's nothing going on between Jake and I," I told her dismissively. Once I felt my cheeks returning to its normal state, I turned to look at her. "How did the thing with Edward go? Were the family nice?" I asked her and Bella began telling me everything about the dinner: how she had met Esme Cullen, the Italian dinner they were making, how Rosalie broke a bowl and how beautiful the Cullens' house was.

* * *

**Author's Note:**  
I really cannot wait until I start on Eclipse! (See how excited I am for that?) Still, thank you for the reviews! and the favs and alerts! Don't hesitate to leave your reviews, I really want to know what you think. Answers to some of the questions in the reviews for the last chapter: regarding what Marie heard when she clearly was not listening to the conversation at the beach, it's something that she picked up subconsciously - it's like your mind is somewhere but you only hear bits and pieces and then you connect the dots. These chapters are as long as they can get! I actually managed to finish typing the rest of the chapters and let's just say, it doesn't even come up to a double digit. I know it's somewhat "boring" right now but the real drama (or should I say, the plot thickens) begin on the very last chapter for New Moon and it'll continue with Eclipse! I'm trying my best to make this story different but for now, do bare me with. It's still in the early stages. Do leave your reviews, yeah?


	6. Morning Light

**Disclaimer: Last time I checked, my last name was not Meyer nor was my first name Stephenie. I definitely do not own Twilight.**

**Title: Stitch by Stitch**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions?**

* * *

_Do you feel my pain?_  
_Don't leave me in doubt._  
- Blue

* * *

_Bella's POV_

"What am I going to say to Marie?" I looked down at his hand and doodled aimlessly across his smooth, iridescent palm. As the seconds ticked by, the guiltier I felt. I bit my lower lip and sighed. "I hate lying to her," I murmured incoherent but I was sure Edward heard me just fine.

"Please forgive me," He replied formally. "You caught me off guard but I'm on my best behaviour now." He waited but I still did not want to look at him. "Alice says either way she will still find out – she can't exactly see her future clearly." Edward stated and I looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate. "Alice's visions are subjective – it changes with every decision the person makes. She told me that whether you tell her now or later, she will still find out."

I nodded my head. "But until then, I have to keep what you are a secret," I said, more of a statement than a question. Edward nodded his head. I looked into his eyes, abruptly grasping that this was every bit as new to him as it was to me. I took the courage from that thought.

"When the time is right, she will find out," Edward said and I sighed before pushing the thought away, changing the subject. "I should have left long ago," He sighed. "I should leave now. But I don't know if I can." My eyes widen, momentarily, in panic.

"I don't want you to leave," I mumbled pathetically, looking down. Edward chuckled, shaking his head.

"I'm essentially a selfish creature: I crave your company _too much_ to do what I should." Edward said and I sighed in relief. "Don't be!" He withdrew his hand, more gently this time; his voice was harsher than usual. Harsh for him, still more beautiful than any human voice. It was hard to keep up – his sudden mood changes left me always a step behind, dazed.

"I don't think I understand exactly what you mean," I said. He looked back at me and smiled, his mood shifting yet again.

"How do I explain?" he mused. "And without frightening you again… hmm," without seeming to think about it, he placed his hand back in mine; I held it tightly in both of mine. He looked at our hands.

"That's amazingly pleasant, the warmth," He sighed. A moment passed as he assembled his thoughts. "You know how everyone enjoys different flavours?" He began. "Some people love chocolate ice cream, others prefer strawberry?" I nodded. "Sorry about the food analogy – I couldn't think of another way to explain." I smiled. He smiled ruefully back. "You see, every person smells different, has a different essence. If you locked an alcoholic in a room full of stale beer, he would gladly drink it. But he could resist, if he wished to, if he was a recovering alcoholic. Now let's say you placed in that room, a glass of hundred year old brandy, the rarest, finest cognac – and filled the room with its warm aroma – how do you think he would fare then?"

We sat silently, looking into each other's eyes – trying to read each other's thoughts. I frowned slightly, trying to see what he was on to. He broke the silence first. "Maybe that's not the right comparison. Maybe it would be too easy to turn down the brandy. Perhaps I should have made our alcoholic a heroin addict instead."

"So, what you're saying is, I'm your brand of heroin?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled swiftly, seeming to appreciate my effort.

"Yes, you are _exactly_ my brand of heroin." Edward looked across the treetops. "Just let things go with the flow and everything will fall into its places, soon." Edward kissed my temple and I smiled, though inwardly I hoped it would be soon. I was used to always telling Marie about everything and to have to keep this vast secret from her and lying about it every time, makes me somewhat nauseous and guilty. I really hoped everything will fall into its places soon.

[ ]

_Marie's POV_

It was just beginning to drizzle when I woke up from my nap. Sitting up, I rubbed the sleep away from my eyes and settled them on the stacks of papers I had been reading before I fell asleep. Picking up a piece, I let my eyes roam on the paper before placing it back on the stack, cringing at whatever I had written. I never liked it when I fell asleep whilst writing my assignments – I always ended up writing things that are **not** meant to be written. I heard the sound of a truck outside the house and decided to see who it was. Walking out of my room, I glanced at Bella's room and sighed when I saw that she was not there. She was always hanging out with Edward, I mused. I was happy that my sister finally found someone to like? I pondered for a bit before shrugging as I made my way down the stairs. But the least she could do was have a bit of time for me. I headed towards the front porch and saw Bella's truck parking at the curb, Edward at the driver's seat. I opened the door and was surprised by what I was greeted.

"Billy, Jacob," I greeted them cheerfully. "Charlie's gone for the day," I remembered him telling me something whilst I was asleep. "I hope you haven't been waiting long – I was asleep," I told them.

"Not long," Billy said in a subdued tone. His black eyes were fixated on Bella's truck. I struggled to keep the frown from my face and looked at Jacob. He gave me a smile, one that seemed to light his face and I grinned back at him, opening the door wider. "I just wanted to bring this up." Billy tore his gaze long away from Bella's truck, indicating a brown paper sack resting in his lap. I nodded my head, though I had no idea what it could be.

"Why don't you come in for a minute and dry off?" I asked when I saw Bella opening her door, stepping out into the rain. "Bella, don't stand under the rain," I called out and she nodded her head, rushing towards us.

"Hey, Billy, hi, Jacob," Bella greeted them and I looked at her. She was nervous, that much I could tell. I shook my head slightly. Bella was starting to worry me with her sudden change of attitude. I looked at the truck and saw that Edward was still waiting, perfectly still.

"Here, let me take that," I offered, ushering them inside the room. Bella glanced at Edward and walked inside, followed by Billy. I looked at Jacob and he placed his hand on my back, pushing me slightly inside. I blushed at the contact and ordered my mind to calm down.

"You'll want to put it in the fridge," Billy noted as he handed me the package. "It's some of Harry Clearwater's homemade fish fry – Charlie's favourite. The fridge keeps it drier." He shrugged.

"Thanks," Bella said but with feeling this time. "We were running out of new ways to fix fish, and he's bound to bring home more tonight." Oh, that was where he was going. I remembered now: Charlie went fishing. Deciding that the awkwardness and the tension in the room had nothing to do with me, I shrugged my shoulders and walked towards the kitchen, heading for the fridge.

After stuffing the brown package in the fridge, I walked back to where Bella and Billy were still talking. I frowned when I realized that Jacob was not there. The question was about to fly out of my mouth when the front door banged loudly and I jumped at the sound.

"There's no picture anywhere in that car." Jacob's complaining voice reached us before he did. The shoulders of his shirt were stained with the rain, his hair dripping, when he rounded the corner. My heart skipped a beat – despite the long hair and him being younger than I was, he looked incredibly – dare I say it – sexy. I shook my head at my thoughts, hoping for them to go away.

"Hmm," Billy grunted, spinning his chair around to face his son. "I guess I left it at home."

Jacob rolled his eyes dramatically. "Great." I had to giggle at that.

"Well, Bella, Marie, tell Charlie," Billy paused before continuing, "That we stopped by, I mean." Bella nodded her head, muttering something. I was slightly sad to know that they were going to leave and Jacob seemed to mirror my expression and voiced it out.

"Charlie's gonna be out late," Billy explained as he rolled himself past Jacob.

"Oh." Jacob looked disappointed. "Well, I guess I'll see you later, then, Marie." He looked at me and I smiled at him. "Err, you too, Bella." He added quickly and helped his father out the door. I shot Bella a look when she turned to me, an amused expression plastered on her face.

"Zip it, you. We have to talk later," I told her as I headed towards the door. "Go change," I ordered, realizing that she was still in her wet clothes. I hurriedly walked out the door and reached Billy. "Billy, I'm sorry," I muttered and he looked at me, confusion clear in his eyes. "About Bella, I know it's none of my business to know what the two of you talked about but I will make sure she tries to stay out of trouble." I told him and he gave me a small, stiff smile and nodded his head before wheeling himself to the passenger's seat, leaving me with Jacob.

"You're going to get wet, you know," Jacob said with a slight hint of concern and I shrugged, taking the time to look at him.

"You too," I motioned at his now more-than-wet shirt. He grinned at me, flashing his white pearly teeth. "I guess, I'll see you soon, huh?" That came out more like a question rather than a statement and I blushed slightly under his gaze. He nodded his head and was about to say something when Billy cleared his throat. The both of us turned to look at him and I could feel my cheeks turning redder.

"Jacob, let the poor girl go inside the house. She's going to be soaking wet by the time the two of you finish talking," Billy teased and I laughed sheepishly before looking at Jacob and give him a peck on the cheek. I stepped back and hurriedly went to the porch. He waved his hand and I returned the gesture, watching as he climbed into the car, backed it and drove away. I stayed where I was, waiting for the thumping and anxiety to subside. I didn't know what had come over me, pecking his cheek in front of his dad, I thought, horrified at what I did. Though the smile on my face said otherwise: his skin was soft and I wondered what I would have done if Billy was not there. Shivering from the cold, I rushed into the house.

[ ]

"Promise me something, Bells," I parked the truck. She turned to look at me as I turned off the ignition and unbuckled my seat belt. "When the time comes, you will tell me your secret, won't you?" I turned my head to her, carefully watching her expression. A flash of guilt appeared but as quick as it came, it disappeared. Bella chewed her lower lip, something she always did when she seemed to be contemplating something. I sighed, before patting her hand. "I won't force you to tell me, at least not now," I stated before withdrawing my hand, opening the door. "I see Charlie."

"Yo, Arizona," Mike called out and I looked away from the back of Charlie's head and saw Mike walking towards us. "What's happening?" I looked at Bella and she looked at me, shrugging her shoulders. "So, you and Cullen, huh?" He looked at Bella, shoving his hands in his jacket's pocket. "That's… I don't like it." I frowned at his statement and turned to look at Bella. Both of us slowed down and Bella turned to look at Mike. "I mean, I don't know, he just looks at you like you're something to eat." Mike frowned and I could feel Bella stiffen slightly before shrugging her shoulders. Bella just shook her head and walked towards the café. I gave him a small smile.

"You don't have to worry a thing about Bella, Mike," I told him before walking inside the café. Bella was already sitting at her usual seat and Charlie folded the newspaper he was reading. "Hi dad," I walked over to his left and sat down.

"I ordered you the spinach salad." He told Bella before looking at me. "Chicken Enchiladas okay for you?" He asked me and I nodded my head, the thought of said food making my mouth water. "I hope that's okay." Before any of us could say anything, Cora came to our table, setting down our food.

"You should order one for yourself next time." Bella said, thanking Cora. "Cut back on the steak." I snorted on to my hand and thanked Cora when she placed my plate in front of me. She gave me a small smile and placed Charlie's plate in front of him.

"Hey, I'm as healthy as a horse." Charlie retorted as he put away his newspaper. Bella merely gave him a look before eating her salad.

I picked up my spoon and fork before eating my chicken. Cora rested her hand on my shoulder and I looked at her, my mouth filled with food. "Say, Chief, boys want to know, did you find anything down by Queets River today?" She asked solemnly and Charlie looked behind her before looking ahead.

"Yeah, we found a bare human footprint, but it looks like whoever that is headed east so Kitsap County sheriff is gonna take over from here." The seriousness of his voice made me swallow and I could hear how quiet the café become. Bella looked at her food uncomfortably. Cora lifted her hand from my shoulder and looked down.

"I just hope they catch him fast." Cora gave us a sad smile before walking back to the counter and the café went back to its normal, chit-chat filled self. I continued to savour the food I was eating before coughing slightly, nearly choking on my chicken when I saw Mike behind Bella, and shaking his butt and his arms flailing about in the air.

And I wasn't the only one that noticed. Charlie looked out the window, "Looks like your friends are flagging you." Bella turned around and I couldn't help but laugh at the horrified expression that was on her face when she turned to look at Charlie and I. Charlie continued to look at them. "It's okay if you wanna go join them." He placed the salt back to its holder. "I'm just gonna turn in early anyway."

I shook my head. "I rather not," and Bella nodded her head in agreement. Charlie frowned at our statement.

"Girls, it's Friday night. Go out." He stated firmly. "Have some fun – do some sisterly bonding thing," Charlie insisted before looking out the window and back at his food. "Looks like the Newton boy's got a big smile for you, Bella."

Bella nodded her head, oblivious to what Charlie was implying. "Yeah, he's a good buddy." I laughed and shook my head when Charlie and Bella sent me questioning looks. Charlie sighed in relief before looking out the window again.

"What about any of these other yahoos in town?" He asked, glancing at the group of boys warily. Being the person that I was, I found our conversation rather funny but one look at Bella's face, I could tell that she was starting to get uncomfortable with Charlie's subconscious interrogation. "Anybody interest you?" He asked, looking at me and Bella.

Somehow, when his question registered in my mind, Jacob's face flashed in my mind and I had to look down at my plate to avoid them from seeing my blush. He is only fifteen years old, I scolded myself. But he is one hot fifteen year old, I giddily added before groaning slightly. All of this talking in my head is starting to make me feel delirious. I shook my head and finished my food, setting my spoon and fork on the plate.

"Dad, are we really gonna talk about boys?" Bella looked at him apprehensively, letting a sheepish laugh. Charlie smiled at her before shaking his head.

"I just feel like I leave you too alone too much," Charlie looked at his plate. I placed my hand on top of his, squeezing it slightly. "You should be around people," He stared at the group of people outside.

"We don't really mind being alone." I answered. "Mom and Phil used to leave us to do whatever we wanted back at home. It's somewhat of a routine for us." I told him.

Bella nodded her head in agreement. "I guess we're kind of like our dad in that way." She smiled at Charlie, making him squeeze my hand back, smiling at Bella in return.

[ ]

I rolled onto my stomach as I listened to Bella talking to our mom. "_Phil's working so hard. You know, spring training. We're looking for a house to rent in case things become more permanent. Both of you would like Jacksonville_." Her voice resounded from the phone. Bella had put her on loud speaker, I reminded myself.

Bella and I looked at each other. "Yeah… I really like Forks." She told our mom and threw her pillow at me when I rolled my eyes, laughing quietly.

"_What? I know Marie had a more positive view on going to Forks but not you, Bella. You were sulking for days,_" Mom sounded flabbergasted and somewhat disbelieved.

"I know what you mean, mom," I spoke up for the first time.

"_Could a certain guy with bronze hair have anything to do with that?"_ Mom asked cheekily and Bella inhaled sharply, making mom chuckle. "_Marie told me about him."_ Bella looked at me, her eyes wide and I grinned at her. "_I knew it. Tell me everything – what is he? Jock? Indie? I bet he's smart. Is he smart?_" Mom threw everything out and I began laughing. This, ladies and gentlemen, is our mom. Though judging by the way she acts, she was much more than that – she was our best friends. Bella rolled her eyes at me before that familiar glint in her eyes came back and my laughter began to cease when she smirked in my direction.

"Mom, did you know that Marie has a crush on someone?" She asked and my eyes widen. Mom gasped. "I bet she didn't tell you that," Bella chuckled at my panicked expression. "His name is –" Before Bella could say anything, I tackled Bella and covered her mouth, muffling the rest of her words.

"_Girls, are you alright? What is that sound?" _

"We're fine, mom." I called out and shrieked in disgust when Bella licked my hand. "Bells, that is disgusting!" I frowned as I wiped my hand at her short. She snorted before picking up her phone. "Mom, can we talk to you later?" I shot her a murdering glare.

"_Promise me, you will call me later, Marie! I need to hear about this boy of yours._" I blushed and ignored Bella's snickering. Bella gasped as she stared at something behind my back. I turned around and frowned when I saw nothing, only to have Bella taking her phone into her hand.

"I will, mom. Don't worry," I told her before quickly adding, "And he is not _my _boy." Mom's laughter rang out from the phone. Bella shook her head and ended the phone call. "Did you have to bring up Jacob?" I asked Bella and she stared at me knowingly.

"I didn't bring up Jacob: I merely told her that you have a crush," Her eyes were filled with mirth. "And I never said you had a crush **on** Jacob. You came to that conclusion yourself." Bella laughed at me when I feel my jaw dropping slightly, knowing I had unintentionally given myself away.

"Okay," I scoffed, crossing my arms. "It's just a silly crush," I told her before stepping down from her bed. I let my hands fall when I yawned. "I'm going to bed, Bells." I gave her a brief hug. "Get a good sleep, yeah?" without waiting for her reply, I walked out of her room and a minute later, she locked her door and I heard her hushed whispers. I shrugged my shoulders before walking inside my room.

* * *

_Author's note:  
Thank you so much for the reviews and the neverending alerts and favs! It will make me happier if I could get more reviews but I'll take what i have been given! Don't forget to tell me what you think. Have a merry day! _


	7. Guilty

**Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me would be Marie and the things you do not recognize. Otherwise, it belongs to Stephenie Meyer. **

**Title: Stitch by Stitch**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions?**

* * *

_If it's wrong to do what's right,  
I'm prepared to testify  
- _Blue

* * *

I munched on the strawberry tart as I watched Charlie cleaning his gun. I had woken up early that day and decided to bake strawberry tarts seeing as I was craving for some. "Hey, got you another one." Bella said as she picked up Charlie's favourite drink and set it on the table. She placed a bottle of water in front of me and I looked at her curiously. What is she doing trying to butter us up? I thought as I continued to munch on the tarts and look at her.

"Thanks," Charlie said dismissively as he continued to clean his gun.

"I have a date with Edward Cullen." Bella gripped the chair she was standing behind and looked expectantly at Charlie. I stopped munching abruptly and moved my gaze to Charlie, anticipating his reaction. He looked baffled for a moment before he turned to look at Bella.

"He's a little old for you, isn't he?"

I was going to remind him that Bella, Edward and I were juniors but Bella beat me to it. "Wait…" He paused. "Which one is Edwin?" I had to laugh at that. Charlie was clearly uncomfortable with the idea and though this was probably going to make Bella even more nervous, I could not help myself.

"_Edward_ is the youngest, the one with the reddish brown hair." I told Charlie and sipped my water. He looked at me before looking at Bella.

"Oh, well, that's" – he struggled – "Better, I guess. I don't like the look of that big one. I'm sure he's a nice boy and all, but he looks too… mature for you. Is this Ed- Edward your boyfriend?"

"Sort of, I guess." Bella shrugged her shoulders but I could still see the hope in her face. Charlie nodded his head slightly. "I thought you liked the Cullens."

Charlie picked up his drink and sipped it, turning to look at Bella. "I thought you didn't like any of the boys in town." He reiterated and I chuckled. He glanced at me and I shook my head, heading towards the sink to wash my plate and my hands.

"Edward doesn't live in town," Bella answered quickly. "Technically… and he's right outside,"

Charlie was silent for a few minutes. "He is?"

"Yeah, he wanted to meet you, officially." Bella cleared her throat, making me turn around. She gave me a slight pout and I decided to intervene.

"Dad, Edward is a nice guy. You need to get the Spanish Inquisition out of your system now." I told him and looked at Bella. "Where is he taking you?"

Bella smiled gratefully at me. "We're going to play baseball with his family." I blinked a few times. Did I hear her correctly? I turned to look at Charlie. His face puckered and then he finally chuckled.

"_You're_ playing baseball?" My thoughts exactly, Charlie.

"Well," Bella looked down at her hands. "I'll probably watch most of the time." I gave Charlie a look and he sighed before placing his gun on the table, nodding his head.

"Alright, bring him in." Charlie resigned. I grinned when Bella beamed at the both of us. All three of us quieted down when the doorbell rang. Charlie stalked off to answer it, Bella half a step behind him. I heard Charlie letting Edward in and I walked to the living room, just in time to see Edward walking in, looking like a male model in an advertisement. Edward lifted his hand and gave me a slight wave and I returned the gesture. I was silent as I watched Edward talk to Charlie, promising to take very good care of Bella and she won't be staying out for too late that night. The thought of Bella playing baseball really amused Charlie as it did to me. Like I said, we were never much into sports. To have her agreeing to play baseball, that was an achievement and Charlie seemed to realize that. After exchanging goodbyes, I watched as Edward drove away with Bella in a huge jeep.

"Are you staying in today?" Charlie looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders. I had nothing planned for the day and was planning on to laze around the house. So I told him. He frowned at my idea. "I'm going to Billy's soon, do you want to come?" He asked and without thinking, I nodded my head eagerly. He raised one of his eyebrows before shrugging his shoulder, telling me to be ready in fifteen. I smiled and ran up the stairs, heading straight to my room. I looked at my choice of clothing before pulling off my tank top and opening my dresser, pulling out my red skinny cashmere vest and my white crop top. After putting them on, I braided my hair and walked down to where Charlie was getting ready. He handed a few brown paper bags to me and told me to wait in the cruiser. I nodded my head and picked up his keys before walking outside of the house.

[ ]

I laughed, shaking my head as I pushed Jacob playfully. "Quit it, you're making my cheeks hurt from all the laughing." I told him, patting my cheeks. He grinned cheekily before handing a bottle of water to me. I had been slightly disappointed earlier when we arrived at his house. Billy was the one who greeted us at the door. I tried to casually ask him where Jacob was when Billy directed me to the garage and telling me that Jacob needed a distraction from his fixation on garage. Charlie snorted and I made my way merrily to the garage. Now, I had been in the garage for two hours, helping Jacob with whatever he wanted me to do.

Jacob looked at me and brushed away my bangs, making me blush slightly. "So…" I trailed off. Now that I _know_ that I have a crush on him, every little thing that he did made me blush. I silently curse Bella in my head – if she had not point it out the other day, I would not be acting like this.

"So…" Jacob repeated and I shrugged my shoulders, not knowing what else to talk. "How do you like Forks so far?" He asked out of the blue as he sat beside me, leaning against the truck he had been fixing.

"Forks… is okay, I guess. I mean my friends are cool and I rarely go out though, so I don't really know what to say about Forks." I told him and he nodded his head. "Hey, Jake," I nudged him and he turned his head to look at me. I was captivated by his mesmerizing eyes. He let out a chuckle when I realized I was staring at him openly. "Do you have a girlfriend?" The question flew out of my mouth before I even realized it and my eyes widen in horror. Jacob stared at me, chuckling before shaking his head. I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding in and he seemed to find this very amusing as he continued to chuckle. I cleared my throat and was about to say something when I feel his hand on top of mine. I shut my mouth and looked at our hands. I turned my hand around and intertwined our fingers before letting a small smile appear on my face. Despite him being younger, our hands fitted perfectly. I glanced at Jacob and he had a small smile on his face as well. I relaxed against the car, enjoying the silence.

"I like your hand," Jacob said out of the blue and I looked at him. "It's soft," He actually blushed, making me grin. Jacob stared at me and I stared back, not realizing that both of us were leaning towards each other. We would have kissed had it not been Charlie talking loudly with Billy near the door. My eyes widen and I leaned back slightly – I could feel all the blood rushing to my cheeks. He chuckled before tightening the hold on my hand for a few seconds.

"Marie, let's go," Charlie said as he walked inside the garage. Billy wheeled in beside him and smirked in my direction when he saw how close Jacob and I were sitting. Jacob stood up, pulling me along with him and I dropped his hand. For a fifteen year old, he sure was strong, I thought to myself. "What did the two of you do for three hours? You didn't even come in for lunch." Charlie pointed out as I brushed the dirt from my jeans.

"I helped Jake with this truck," I told Charlie as I faced him. Billy gave me a knowing look before looking at Jacob. Charlie nodded his head and all four of us walked out of the garage – or in Billy's case, wheeled out with Jacob's help. We went to where the cruiser was parked and Billy talked to Charlie as he went over to the driver's seat. Jacob opened my door and I smiled at him, finally facing him. "It was nice talking to you," I told him awkwardly, mentally slapping myself. Jacob nodded his head, the smile still plastered on his face. I was about to climb in the car when I stopped and turned to face him once more. "See you soon, Jake." I gave him a brief hug before climbing in the car. Charlie chuckled at my stiff posture and I glared at him before waving at Billy and Jacob as we pulled out from their residence.

"So… you and Billy's son, huh?" Charlie teased and I groaned, rolling my eyes. This was going to be a long drive home.

[ ]

I was waiting for Bella when I heard the loud roar of Edward's car. I had been anticipating her return since we came back from Billy's house. I really wanted to share with her whatever had happened between Jacob! Though it was not that much, I had a pretty good feeling about it. I shot up from the sofa and was about to greet Bella when she kicked the door open, making me freeze.

"Go away, Edward!" Bella yelled at him, running inside, slamming the door shut in his still-shocked face. My jaw dropped at the scene that happened in front of me.

"Bella?" Charlie had been hovering in the living room and he was already on his feet. "What's going on?" Charlie followed Bella as she rushed to the stairs and I immediately shook myself out of my stupor and followed him, worried about Bella.

"I just gotta get out of here. I'm leaving now." Bella exclaimed and I was speechless. Charlie seemed to be doing a lot of talking now. He stood outside her door, coaxing her to stay.

"Did he hurt you?" Charlie asked and Bella shook her head, heading to the toilet. I was still standing near the top of the stairs, looking at Bella. I couldn't even comprehend what had happened. "Break up with you or something?" Charlie frowned as he put his hands on his hips. Bella walked out of the toilet, shaking her head.

"No, I broke up with him."

"I thought you liked him," I said after finally finding my voice. Bella freeze for a moment, as if realizing I was there before hurrying to her room. Charlie sighed as he looked at me. Bella opened her door a few minutes later, bringing a couple of bags with her.

"Yeah, that's why I have to leave." Bella muttered loud enough for us to hear. "I don't want this. I have to go home." She insisted as she shoved a couple more shirts inside her bag and headed down the stairs. I frowned and followed her down the stairs.

"But mom's not even in Phoenix, Bells!" I exclaimed, nearly tripping down the stairs. Bella glanced at me and shook her head.

"She'll come home. I'll call her from the road," She stated firmly. I frowned but before I could open my mouth, Charlie beat me to it, telling Bella that she was not to drive home that night. I suggested for Bella to sleep on it and that Charlie will personally drive her to the airport tomorrow. She hesitated for a few seconds before her face hardened. "No." She shook her head, "I want to drive." She was a fast walker as I followed her. "It'll give me more time to think." She headed towards the kitchen, assuring Charlie and I that if she was tired, she will pull into a motel.

"Bella, come on," I placed a hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off roughly. I frowned deeper as I stared at her. "We can do more stuff together here. We just got to dad." I reasoned and she sighed, tears forming in her eyes as she turned to look at me and Charlie.

"Like what?" Bella spat. "Like watch baseball on the flat-screen? Eat at the diner every night? Steak and cobbler? That's you, guys. It's not me," She scowled, pushing past me, heading towards our front door. I swallowed the annoyance and followed after Charlie.

"Bella, come on, I just, I just got you back." Charlie crossed his arms but I could tell that he was actually pleading her, not to leave. Bella didn't even turn to face us as she opened the door. "Just wait another week," He pled, still shell-shocked. "Renee will be back by then." That completely made Bella derailed. "She called, while you were out. Things aren't going so well in Florida, and if Phil doesn't get signed by the end of the week, they are going back to Arizona. The assistant coach of the Sidewinders said they might have a spot for another shortstop." Charlie continued eagerly, almost babbling with relief.

Bella shook her head. "Yeah, and, you know, if I don't get out now, then I'm just gonna be stuck here like mom." Her words seemed to have rendered Charlie motionless on the doorstep and I was stunned. Bella ran wildly for her truck, throwing her bag in and wrenching the door open. "I will call you tomorrow." She shouted as she gunned the engine and peeled out.

The silence went on for a few minutes and I took that time to rearrange my thoughts, processing what had happened. Charlie cleared his throat after what it seemed like five minutes of total silence. He closed the door and looked at me. I looked at him warily. "Do you feel the same?" He asked and it took a few seconds to realize that he was talking about Bella's statement. I shook my head.

"No, as much as I love Phoenix, I love Forks." I told him, remembering all the fun I had with all of our… my friends. I sighed before wrapping my arms around Charlie. "I'm sorry for her behaviour, dad." I murmured against his shirt. He patted my back as he returned my hug. Charlie pulled back a minute later. "Are you alright?"

He nodded his head curtly. "I'm just gonna go to my room and think about stuffs," He told me and kissed my forehead before walking over to his room. I walked back to the kitchen and picked up a bottle of water. The way Bella had acted befuddled me greatly. She hardly ever raised her voices to any of us and for her to act like, it was somewhat confusing. I really hope she would get to her destination without experiencing any trouble; I frowned but then shook my head. It was Bella we were talking about – the same Bella who would get into trouble anywhere and anytime. I was about to head up the stairs when my eyes fell on the phone and my feet walked over to the phone. I picked it up, contemplating whether I should give him a call or not. My fingers began dialing the number and I leaned against the wall as I waited for someone to pick up.

"_Hello?_"

"…Jake?" I asked. There was a slight pause before I heard the phone being passed to another person. "Jake?" I tried again.

"_Marie, hey!"_ He sounded breathless. "_Are you alright?_" He asked when I didn't reply him. I bit my lip before shaking my head and murmuring a small 'no'. "_You sound… sad. Did something happen?_" Jacob questioned and I shrugged my shoulders, playing with the phone's wire. I really didn't know why I had called him… actually I do. I just wanted to hear his voice – one that somehow manages to calm me down. I murmured something incoherent before sighing.

"I'm fine, I guess. I will be," I told him and I could tell he was struggling to find something to say to my statement for he kept quiet for a few minutes. "Bella decided that she wanted to go back to Forks and is currently driving to Seattle tonight." I told him quietly. "She's fine, nothing happened though. I think she's just scared and has commitment issues or something." I frowned.

"_What? Does Charlie know?_"

"Yeah, she said it loud and clear to us earlier." I sighed. "Anyway, can we just talk about something else? Take my mind off of this?" I asked him and I was glad he didn't pester me anymore as he began to talk about his friends and the happenings around La Push.

* * *

_Author's note:  
thank you for the people who put this story on alert and favourites! It won't be long now until the end - depends on how I typed the next scene! Might be one more chapter or two more until the end! I definitely cannot wait to start on New Moon! So much Jake in that movie/book! Thanks to those who left reviews and I really appreciate those who are putting me as their fav author and what not! Hoped you enjoyed it! Don't forget to review, please? x _

_PS: if you haven't anything to read, i recommend you read this story - http [:] [/] m [.] fanfiction [.]net [/] s [/] 8056301 [/]1 [/] - it's actually good. sort of. the author only posted the first chapter but I liked it. And I LOVE Seth (or rather Booboo!) So do drop by that story and give it a chance. :)  
_


	8. Gold Forever

**Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. End of story.**

* * *

**Title: Stitch by stitch**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: What if Bella was not an only child and instead had a sister, a twin sister, named Marie? How did she get entangled with the supernatural beings, unexpected romances and life-altering decisions?**

* * *

**Author's note: It's sad to say that **_**this**_** is the last chapter – I basically fitted 260 pages worth of Twilight (the book) and two hours, one minute and fifty seconds of the movie into… eight chapters! How cool is that? Haha, don't worry, like I have mentioned before, I will still continue this until Breaking Dawn and perhaps after I'm done with the whole saga, I'll move on to the ever wonderful wolf pack! Thanks to those who have reviewed, alerted and favourite the story. It means a lot to me that you enjoy the story. I definitely cannot wait to start on New Moon!**

* * *

_Some days stay gold forever  
- _The Wanted

* * *

When I woke up, I was confused. My thoughts were hazy, still twisted up in dreams and nightmares; it took me longer than it should have to realize where I was.

The room was too small and the small bed that I was sleeping on smelled like the outdoors and… _Jacob_? I tried to remember how I got here, but nothing came at first. I did remember the horrified look Charlie had when he called mom and both of us found out that Bella had not even called her. And I remembered sitting in the cruiser as Charlie drove, telling me that he could only get a ticket to fly off to Phoenix and I was to stay with a friend of his… I was at Billy's house. I pushed the covers away from my body and groaned in displeasure when I feel how stiff my body was.

"You're awake."

I looked at the door to see Jacob, looking at me cautiously. I nodded my head slowly and set my feet on the ground. He walked to the bed and sat down beside me. "Are you alright?" He asked and I blinked a few times, assessing his question. Was I alright? I haven't a clue. My mind was still hazy and I felt slightly disoriented.

"Has Charlie called?" The question slipped out of my mouth. My mouth felt dry and I stuck my tongue out, wetting my lips. I looked at Jacob and he was still looking at me. "Recently," I added.

He nodded his head and my breath hitched as my hands tightened their grip on each other. Jacob placed his hand on mine and slowly pulled my right hand from my grip, intertwining our fingers. "He did - he called just before he boarded the plane last night. He also called earlier and told you to call him back as soon as possible." Jacob said slowly and my eyes widen in panic. "Bella's fine," He hurriedly added. "He just wanted to talk to you." I sighed and nodded my head, gulping the lump in my throat. I picked up my phone and dialed Charlie's number, grasping Jacob's hand. He slowly caressed my hand, tracing small circles on it and somehow his action soothed me.

"_Marie,"_ I heard Charlie greeting me. Before I could say anything, he continued to talk. "_One of the Cullens, Alice called Renee and I. She's currently eating. We're at the hospital._" He stated.

"How," I swallowed. "How bad is Bella?" I asked. I heard Charlie sighed. "What happened?"

Charlie seemed to be quiet at first. "_She fell down two flights of stairs and through a window." _I let out a small chuckle. "_She has a broken leg, four broken ribs and some cracks in her skull. She lost a lot of blood and she has bruises covering every inch of her skin."_ My eyes watered, even though I couldn't exactly understand how she feels, just listening to Charlie describing her injuries made me cringe. "_But they gave her a few transfusions. They had to keep her sedated for a while but she just woke up earlier."_

"Oh," I had nothing to say. I didn't _know_ what to say. "Tell her I love her and for her to come back in _one_ piece this time." I told him and he chuckled. "And tell mom to call me. I miss her."

"_Will do, Marie, just feel better and have Jacob drive you back home in a few hours." _After exchanging a few more words with Charlie, with a promise for him to call me later, we ended the call and I sighed in relief as I placed the phone on the pillow. I looked at Jacob and he gave me a smile.

"Thank you." I whispered. He shook his head, tightening his hold on my hand. I looked at our hands and leaned my head against his shoulder. Jacob shifted closer and I closed my eyes, enjoying our closeness. "Tell me what happened when I came here." I told him as I opened my eyes, looking around his room.

"You were like a zombie," Jacob said. "You looked numb and like you hadn't sleep for a while." I nodded my head, enjoying how soft his thumb and his hand were. "At that time, Charlie was talking to my dad and I pulled you to the living room. Before I could ask you, you threw your arms around me and began crying, babbling about how you didn't even get to say goodbye to Bella and there were a lot of things that you wanted to tell her." He explained. "You were a mess."

"I'm sorry," I apologized and I could feel his shoulder shaking. I lifted my head slightly to look at him. He raised his eyes to the ceiling.

"Of all the things to apologize for," He shook his head and looked at me. "I'm actually glad you're here." Jacob whispered and I smiled. We stared at each other's eyes for what it seems like a few minutes and I leaned closer when his eyes flickered to my lips. My lips nearly brushed against his when the door slammed open, making me lean back, dropping his hand. My cheeks reddened when Billy wheeled in, giving us a knowing look. "Dad," Jacob greeted with a hint of annoyance. That made my heart flutter lightly.

"I thought I told you to tell me when Marie wakes up," If Billy had heard his annoyance, he was good in ignoring it. He looked at me. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," I told him as I willed my heart to stop racing and my cheeks to turn to its normal state. "I called dad just now and I didn't want to be alone so I asked Jake to stay." I told Billy and he nodded his head.

"Did he tell you what happened and how is your sister?" Billy asked me and I nodded my head once more, repeating what Charlie had told me. His face was void of any emotions. "She fell," I didn't know what he meant by that so I merely nodded my head. Jacob cleared his throat and Billy gave me a small smile. "I'm glad she's okay." He stated and I smiled back. "Harry delivered some food that Sue made, so let's get eating." Billy wheeled himself out of the room. I looked at Jacob and he gave me a sheepish smile, almost embarrassed.

"Thank you," I told him and pressed my lips against his cheek. Jacob looked at me and grinned, flashing his teeth and he stood up, holding out his hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me up, leading me to the living room. He dropped my hand as he told me to sit and he took out a few plates. I made myself comfortable on the chair as I listened to Billy talking about how good the food was. I thanked him once more when Jacob placed a plate filled with food in front of me. My mouth watered and I immediately began to eat. Halfway through munching on my food, Jacob grabbed my left hand and laced our fingers, placing both of our hands on his thigh. I was sure Billy knew what his son was doing but I was glad that he didn't say anything about it.

[ ]

"You look gorgeous, Bells," I told her as I looked at her. She was dressed in a very beautiful deep blue, frilly and off the shoulders dress that Alice had bought for her. "Though this dress feels like it's more suitable for a runaway than Forks," I told her and she rolled her eyes. "Alice has good taste."

The first thing I did when Bella came back was hugging her, crying all over her shoulder about how stupid she was. I believed I was babbling as well whilst I did that – I recalled saying something about her being afraid of commitment and how lucky she was that she was still alive and Edward was there for her. She was crying as well by the time I had finished talking and we both ended up in her room, talking about a lot of things. I knew she was still hiding some secrets from me, judging by the way she would flinch slightly when I asked her how she got the scars on her hand. I had spent the rest of the night telling her about the things that happened between Jacob and I.

A smile crept onto my face as I thought about Jacob. He was kind and dorky, in a good way. The way his eyes would just gaze into your soul and how his smile could melt any ice around a girl's heart made me sigh in pleasure. I knew I had a crush on him, that had been established before but judging from the way he was acting, I knew he had a crush on me too! That made me feel somewhat giddy and Bella managed to catch that and we talked until way past midnight before going to sleep.

"I'm not coming over there anymore if Alice is going to treat me like Guinea Pig Barbie when I do," She gripped. I laughed and shook my head. She had spent the better part of the day at the Cullen's house and I had to give it to Alice: she made Bella looked extremely beautiful despite having still injuries and what not; I definitely need to go on a shopping spree with her. I brushed her bangs away and picked up the camera. "You haven't used that in a while." She pointed out and I nodded my head. I had forgotten I had my camera with me until I was looking through my duffel bag.

"I need to take a picture of you! And then we need to take a picture together," I told her and before she could protest, I snapped a picture of her. "Dad," I called out and a minute later, Charlie walked out to the porch. "Could you take a picture of us?" I asked him, handing the camera to Charlie, explaining what he needed to press. He nodded his head and I wrapped my arms around Bella's waist and she leaned against me. Charlie counted to three and both of us smiled. "Thank you," I chirped as I looked at the picture. Charlie nodded his head and told us to have a good time before going back to his room, muttering how we were growing up right under his nose.

"Who are you going with?" Bella asked me as she waited for Edward. "You didn't tell me."

"Tyler," I told her and her eyes widened. "I know – I don't like that boy. We're going because he doesn't have a date, I don't have a date. Eric is going with Angela, as usual and Jessica is going with Mike." I explained and she nodded her head. A shiny Volvo stopped in front of the house and I grinned at her. "Your Prince Charming is here." I told her and she rolled her eyes. Edward walked up to the porch and greeted her with a kiss before turning to look at me.

"You look beautiful," He complimented and I grinned, returning his compliment with my own. "Would you mind if I take Bella now?" He asked and I shook my head, ushering him to bring her to school before she changed her mind. Bella glared at me playfully and I gave her a flying kiss, making Edward chuckle. "See you later, Marie." He told me and I nodded my head, watching the both of them. Bella was talking to him in hushed whispers, glancing at me every now and then. I gave her a small wave and waited for Tyler to come.

[ ]

_Bella's POV_

"I really have to tell her." I told Edward as he drove to the school. "She cried so badly when I came back with Charlie the other day." I had never seen Marie cry that hard other than the time when I was almost hit by Tyler's van. It made me feel guilty that I was still lying to her, despite promising to tell her the minute I was in danger. I heard Edward sigh. "Does Alice know when Marie will find out?"

"Not at the moment but Alice says she will still find out though her future seems rather dark," Edward murmured and I glanced at him. "You could tell her when you think it's safe." He told me warily. "Rosalie would not like it probably but if Alice's visions come true, the rest of the family would not mind." I smiled at him. We were at the school now; Rosalie's red convertible was conspicuous in the parking lot. The clouds were thin today; a few stars adorned the sky. He got out and walked around the car to open my door. He held out his hand. I took his hand and let him lift me from the car. Edward kept his arm tightly around me, supporting me as I limped toward the school.

In Phoenix, they held proms in hotel ballrooms. This dance was in the gym, of course. It was probably the only room in town big enough for a dance. When we got inside, I giggled. There were actual balloon arches and twisted garlands of pastel crepe paper festooning the walls. "This looks like a horror movie waiting to happen," I snickered. Edward chuckled as we approached the ticket table.

I looked at the dance floor; a wide gap had formed in the center of the floor, where two couples whirled gracefully. The other dancers pressed to the sides of the room to give them space – no one wanted to stand in contrast with such radiance. Emmett and Jasper were intimidating and flawless in classic tuxedos. Alice was striking in a black satin dress with geometric cutouts that bared large triangles of her snowy white skin. And Rosalie was… Rosalie. She was beyond belief. Her vivid scarlet dress was backless, tight to her calves where it flared into a wide ruffled train, with a neckline that plunged to her waist. I pitied every girl in the room, myself included.

Edward bough our tickets, then turned me toward the dance floor. I cringed against his arm and dragged my feet. "I've got all night," He warned as he eventually towed me out to where his family was twirling elegantly – if in a style totally unsuitable to the present time and music. I watched in horror and turned to look at him, exclaiming that I couldn't dance as I felt panic bubbling up inside my chest. "Don't worry, silly," he whispered back. "I _can_." He put my arms around his neck and lifted me to slide his feet under mine and then we were whirling too.

"I feel like I'm five years old," I laughed after a few minutes of effortless waltzing. Edward murmured something but it fell on deaf ears when I saw Jacob crossing the floor, heading towards Marie. He was not in a tux, but in a long-sleeved white shirt and tie, his hair smoothed back into his usual ponytail.

"He wants to chat with Marie," Edward said. I turned to look at Marie.

_Marie's POV_

"Hey, Marie. I was hoping you would be here," Jacob greeted me and I smiled at him, momentarily forgetting that Tyler was beside me. "Can I cut in?" He asked tentatively, glancing at Tyler for the first time. I was shocked to notice that Jacob didn't have to look up and instead looked down at Tyler slightly. He must have grown half a foot since the last time I'd seen him. Tyler's face was composed, his expression blank. He shrugged his shoulders before walking away. "Thanks," Jacob said amiably. He put his hands on my waist, and I reached up to put my hands on his shoulders.

"I didn't know you could come here," I whispered as we swayed. "Had I known, I would have asked you." I told him. "Tyler's really starting to annoy me." I added and he chuckled. "Jake, how tall are you now?"

He was smug as he looked down at me. "Six-two."

"So, how did you end up here?" I asked as I took in his recent growth spurt – he was less skinny and looking ganglier, not that I minded.

"Will you believe me if I said my dad paid me twenty bucks to come to your prom?" He admitted, slightly ashamed. I giggled and nodded my head; Billy was a bit like Charlie, I mused, always meddling.

"Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself, at least. Seen anything you like?" I teased, nodding toward a group of girls lined up against the wall like pastel confections.

"Yeah," he sighed and my eyes widen slightly as my heart raced. I looked up at him as the same time he glanced down to meet my gaze. "You look really pretty, by the way," he added shyly and I blushed before pulling him closer, resting my head on his shoulder. Screw Tyler, I thought to myself as we swayed to the music. For now, I was content with being in Jacob's arms.


End file.
